THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT  OF 


COMMODORE  BYRON  MCCANDLESS 


i 


THROUGH   RUSSIAN   SNOWS 


SERGEANT   JULIAN    WYATT    RECEIVES    THE    CROSS    OF    THE 
LEGION   OF   HONOUR. 


THROUGH  RUSSIAN  SNOWS 

A  STORY  OF 
NAPOLEON'S    RETREAT   FROM    MOSCOW 


BY 

G.    A.    HENTY 

Author  of  "  Beric  the  Briton,"  "One  of  the  28th,"  "Condemned  as  a  Nihilist, 
"For  Name  and  Fame,"  "In  the  Heart  of  the  Rockies,"  etc. 


WITH  EIGHT  ILLUSTRA  TIONS  BY  W.  H.  OVEREND 
AND  A  MAP 


NEW  YORK 
CHARLES    SCRIBNER'S    SONS 


COPYRIGHT,  1895,  BY 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


TROW  DIRECTORY 
i  UNO  BOOKBINDING  COMPANY 


Stack 
Annex 


There  are  few  campaigns  that,  either  in  point  of  the  im- 
mense scale  upon  which  it  was  undertaken,  the  completeness 
of  its  failure,  or  the  enormous  loss  of  life  entailed,  appeal  to 
the  imagination  in  so  great  a  degree,  as  that  of  Napoleon 
against  Russia.  Fortunately,  we  have  in  the  narratives  of  Sir 
Robert  Wilson,  British  commissioner  with  the  Russian  army, 
and  of  Count  Segur,  who  was  upon  Napoleon's  staff,  minute 
descriptions  of  the  events  as  seen  by  eye-witnesses,  and  be- 
sides these  the  campaign  has  been  treated  fully  by  various  mili- 
tary writers.  I  have  as  usual  avoided  going  into  details  of  hor- 
rors and  of  acts  of  cruelty  and  ferocity  on  both  sides,  surpassing 
anything  in  modern  warfare,  and  have  given  a  mere  outline  of 
the  operations,  with  a  full  account  of  the  stern  fight  at  Smol- 
ensk and  the  terrible  struggle  at  Borodino.  I  would  warn 
those  of  my  readers  who  may  turn  to  any  of  the  military  works 
for  a  further  history  of  the  campaign,  that  the  spelling  of  Rus- 
sian places  and  names  varies  so  greatly  in  the  accounts  of  dif- 
ferent writers,  that  sometimes  it  is  difficult  to  believe  that  the 
same  person  or  town  is  meant,  and  even  in  the  narratives  by 
Sir  Robert  Wilson,  and  by  Lord  Cathcart,  our  ambassador  at 
St.  Petersburg,  who  was  in  constant  communication  with  him, 
scarcely  a  name  will  be  found  similarly  spelt.  I  mention  this, 
as  otherwise  much  confusion  might  be  caused  by  those  who 
may  compare  my  story  with  some  of  these  recognized  author- 
ities, or  follow  the  incidents  of  the  campaign  upon  maps  of 
Russia. 

Yours  sincerely, 

G.  A.  HENTY. 


CONTENTS 

CHAP.  PAGE 

I.     Two  BROTHERS, n 

II.  BEFORE  THE  JUSTICES,       .        .        .        .        .        .        .     30 

III.  IN  A  FRESH  SCRAPE, 48 

IV.  THE  SMUGGLER'S  CAVE, 67 

V.     FOLLOWING  A  TRAIL, 84 

VI.     A  COMMISSION,  .        .        . 103 

VII.  A  FRENCH  PRISON,     .         .        .        .         .         .         .        •   122 

VIII.    PISTOL  PRACTICE, .  140 

IX.     A  DUEL, 158 

X.     SMOLENSK, 177 

XI.     WITH  THE  RUSSIAN  ARMY, 195 

XII.     BORODINO, 213 

XIII.     WITH  THE  REAR-GUARD, 242 

XIV.     NEY'S  RETREAT, 263 

XV.  IN  COMFORTABLE  QUARTERS,    ......  292 

XVI.  AN  UNEXPECTED  MEETING,       .        .        .        .        .        .  309 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


FACE 


SERGEANT  JULIAN  WYATT  RECEIVES  THE  CROSS  OF  THE  LEGION 

OF  HONOUR, Frontispiece,     253 

"  MARK  MY  WORDS,  YOU  YOUNG  SCOUNDREL,  i  WILL   BE   EVEN 

WITH  YOU  YET,"    .........       57 

JULIAN  FINDS  HIMSELF  A  PRISONER  AMONG  THE  SMUGGLERS,     .      64 

"CAPTAIN   MARSHALL'S   PISTOL  FELL  TO  THE  GROUND,  AND  HE 
STAGGERED  BACK  A  PACE," I&2 

"ON  THE  MARCH  LITTLE  STEPHANIE  OFTEN  CHOSE  TO  BE  CAR- 
RIED ON  JULIAN'S  SHOULDER,"      ......     260 

"  I  AM  THE  COUNTESS  STEPHANIE  WORONSKI.      I  AM  GLAD  TO 

SEE   YOU," 278 

THE  LAST  OF  A  VETERAN  OF  NAPOLEON'S  GRANDE  ARMEE,       .     310 
JULIAN  INTRODUCES  STEPHANIE  TO  HIS  BROTHER  FRANK,          .     321 


THROUGH   RUSSIAN   SNOWS 


CHAPTER  I 

TWO    BROTHERS 

HEN  Colonel  Wyatt  died,  all  Weymouth  agreed 
that  it  was  a  most  unfortunate  thing  for  his  sons 
Julian  and  Frank.  The  loss  of  a  father  is  always 
a  misfortune  to  lads,  but  it  was  more  than  usually 
so  in  this  case.  They  had  lost  their  mother 
years  before,  and  Colonel  Wyatt's  sister  had  since  kept  house 
for  him.  As  a  housekeeper  she  was  an  efficient  substitute,  as 
a  mother  to  the  boys  she  was  a  complete  failure.  How  she 
ever  came  to  be  Colonel  Wyatt's  sister  was  a  puzzle  to  all  their 
acquaintances.  The  Colonel  was  quick  and  alert,  sharp  and 
decisive  in  speech,  strong  in  his  opinions,  peremptory  in  his 
manner,  kindly  at  heart,  but  irascible  in  temper.  Mrs. 
Troutbeck  was  gentle  and  almost  timid  in  manner ;  report 
said  that  she  had  had  a  hard  time  of  it  in  her  married  life, 
and  that  Troutbeck  had  frightened  out  of  her  any  vestige  of 
spirit  that  she  had  ever  possessed.  Mrs.  Troutbeck  never 
argued,  and  was  always  in  perfect  agreement  with  any  opinion 
expressed,  a  habit  that  was  constantly  exciting  the  wrath  and 
indignation  of  her  brother. 

The  idea  of  controlling  the  boys  never  once  entered  her 

ii 


12  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

mind.  So  long  as  the  Colonel  was  alive  there  was  no  occasion 
for  such  control,  and  in  this  respect  she  did  not  attempt  after 
his  death  to  fill  his  place.  It  seemed,  indeed,  that  she  simply 
transferred  her  allegiance  from  the  Colonel  to  them.  Whatever 
they  did  was  right  in  her  eyes,  and  they  were  allowed  to  do 
practically  whatever  they  pleased.  There  was  a  difference  in 
age  of  three  years  and  a  half  between  the  brothers;  Julian  at 
the  time  of  his  father's  death  being  sixteen,  while  Frank  was 
still  a  few  months  short  of  thirteen.  Casual  acquaintances 
often  remarked  that  there  was  a  great  likeness  between  them  ; 
and,  indeed,  both  were  pleasant  -looking  lads  with  somewhat 
fair  complexions,  their  brown  hair  having  a  tendency  to  stand 
up  in  a  tuft  on  the  forehead,  while  both  had  grey  eyes,  and 
square  foreheads.  Mrs.  Troutbeck  was  always  ready  to  assent 
to  the  remark  as  to  their  likeness,  but  would  gently  qualify  it 
by  saying  that  it  did  not  strike  her  so  much  as  it  did  other 
people. 

"Their  dispositions  are  quite  different,"  she  said,  "and 
knowing  them  as  I  do,  I  see  the  same  differences  in  their 
faces. ' ' 

Any  close  observer  would,  indeed,  have  recognized  it  at 
once.  Both  faces  were  pleasant,  but  while  Julian's  wore  an 
expression  of  easy  good  temper,  and  a  willingness  to  please  and 
to  be  pleased,  there  was  a  lack  of  power  and  will  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  face;  there  was  neither  firmness  in  the  mouth  nor 
determination  in  the  chin.  Upon  the  other  hand,  except 
when  smiling  or  talking,  Frank's  lips  were  closely  pressed  to- 
gether, and  his  square  chin  and  jaw  clearly  indicated  firmness  of 
will  and  tenacity  of  purpose.  Julian  was  his  aunt's  favourite, 
and  was  one  of  the  most  popular  boys  at  his  school.  He  liked 
being  popular,  and  as  long  as  it  did  not  put  him  to  any  great 
personal  trouble  was  always  ready  to  fall  in  with  any  propo- 
sal, to  take  part  in  every  prank,  to  lend  or  give  money  if  he 
had  it  in  his  pocket,  to  sympathize  with  any  one  in  trouble. 


TWO    BROTHERS  13 

"  He  has  the  most  generous  disposition  of  any  boy  I  ever 
saw!"  his  aunt  would  frequently  declare.  "He's  always 
ready  to  oblige.  No  matter  what  he  is  doing,  he  will  throw 
it  aside  in  a  moment  if  I  want  anything  done,  or  ask  him  to 
go  on  an  errand  into  the  town.  Frank  is  very  nice,  he  is 
very  kind  and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  but  he  goes  his  own  way 
more,  and  I  don't  find  him  quite  so  willing  to  oblige  as 
Julian ;  but  then,  of  course,  he  is  much  younger,  and  one 
can't  expect  a  boy  of  twelve  to  be  as  thoughtful  to  an  old 
woman  as  a  young  fellow  of  nearly  seventeen." 

As  time  went  on  the  difference  in  their  characters  became 
still  more  marked.  Julian  had  left  school  a  year  after  his 
father's  death,  and  had  since  been  doing  nothing  in  particu- 
lar. He  had  talked  vaguely  of  going  into  the  army,  and  his 
father's  long  services  would  have  given  him  a  claim  for  a 
commission  had  he  decided  upon  writing  to  ask  for  one,  but 
Julian  could  never  bring  himself  to  decide  upon  anything. 
Had  there  been  an  old  friend  of  his  father's  at  hand  ready  to 
settle  the  matter  for  him  he  would  have  made  no  opposition 
whatever,  but  his  aunt  was  altogether  opposed  to  the  idea,  and 
so  far  from  urging  him  to  move  in  the  matter  she  was  always 
ready  to  say,  whenever  it  happened  to  be  mentioned,  "  There 
is  no  hurry,  my  dear  Julian.  We  hear  terrible  stories  of  the 
hardships  that  the  soldiers  suffer  in  Spain  ;  and  although,  if 
you  decide  upon  going,  of  course  I  can't  say  no,  still  there 
can  be  no  hurry  about  it." 

This  was  quite  Julian's  own  opinion.  He  was  very  comfort- 
able where  he  was.  He  was  his  own  master,  and  could  do  as 
he  liked.  He  was  amply  supplied  with  pocket-money  by  his 
aunt ;  he  was  fond  of  sailing,  fishing,  and  shooting  ;  and  as 
he  was  a  general  favourite  among  the  boatmen  and  fishermen 
he  was  able  to  indulge  in  his  fondness  for  the  sea  to  as  large 
an  extent  as  he  pleased,  though  it  was  but  seldom  that  he  had 
a  chance  of  a  day's  shooting.  Julian  had  other  tastes  of  a  less 


14  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

healthy  character ;  he  was  fond  of  billiards  and  of  society,  he 
had  a  fine  voice  and  a  taste  for  music,  and  the  society  he 
chose  was  not  that  most  calculated  to  do  him  good.  He 
spent  less  and  less  of  his  time  at  home,  and  rarely  returned  of 
an  evening  until  the  other  members  of  the  household  were  in 
bed.  Whatever  his  aunt  thought  of  the  matter  she  never  re- 
monstrated with  him,  and  was  always  ready  to  make  the  ex- 
cuse to  herself,  "  I  can't  expect  a  fine  young  fellow  like  that 
to  be  tied  to  an  old  woman's  apron-strings.  Young  men  will 
be  young  men,  and  it  is  only  natural  that  he  should  find  it 
dull  at  home." 

When  Julian  arrived  at  the  age  of  nineteen  it  was  tacitly 
understood  that  the  idea  of  his  going  into  the  army  had  been 
altogether  dropped,  and  that  when  a  commission  was  asked 
for,  it  would  be  for  Frank.  Although  Julian  was  still  her 
favourite,  Mrs.  Troutbeck  was  more  favourably  disposed 
towards  Frank  than  of  old .  She  knew  from  her  friends  that 
he  was  quite  as  popular  among  his  schoolmates  as  his  brother 
had  been,  although  in  a  different  way.  He  was  a  hard  and 
steady  worker,  but  he  played  as  hard  as  he  worked,  and  was 
a  leader  in  every  game.  He,  however,  could  say  "  no  "  with 
a  decision  that  was  at  once  recognized  as  being  final,  and  was 
never  to  be  persuaded  into  joining  in  any  forbidden  amuse- 
ment or  to  take  share  in  any  mischievous  adventure.  When 
his  own  work  was  done  he  was  always  willing  to  give  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  to  assist  any  younger  lad  who  found  his  lessons  too 
hard  for  him,  and  though  he  was  the  last  boy  to  whom  any 
one  would  think  of  applying  for  a  loan  of  money,  he  would 
give  to  the  extent  of  his  power  in  any  case  where  a  subscrip- 
tion was  raised  for  a  really  meritorious  purpose. 

Thus  when  the  school  contributed  a  handsome  sum  towards 
a  fund  that  was  being  raised  for  the  relief  of  the  families  of  the 
fishermen  who  had  been  lost,  when  four  of  their  boats  were 
wrecked  in  a  storm,  no  one  except  the  boys  who  got  up  the 


TWO    BROTHERS  15 

collection  knew  that  nearly  half  the  amount  for  which  the 
school  gained  credit  came  from  the  pocket  of  Frank  Wyatt. 

The  brothers,  though  differing  so  widely  in  disposition, 
were  very  fond  of  each  other.  In  his  younger  years  Frank 
had  looked  up  to  his  big  brother  as  a  sort  of  hero,  and  Julian's 
good-nature  and  easy-going  temper  led  him  to  be  always 
kind  to  his  young  brother,  and  to  give  him  what  he  valued 
most — assistance  at  his  lessons  and  a  patient  attention  to  all 
his  difficulties.  As  the  years  went  on,  Frank  came  to  per- 
ceive clearly  enough  the  weak  points  in  his  brother's  char- 
acter, and  with  his  usual  outspokenness  sometimes  remon- 
strated with  him  strongly.  .  . 

"  It  is  horrible  to  see  a  fellow  like  you  wasting  your  life  as 
you  do,  Julian.  If  you  don't  care  for  the  army,  why  don't 
you  do  something  else?  I  should  not  care  what  it  was,  so 
that  it  but  gave  you  something  to  occupy  yourself,  and  if  it 
took  you  out  of  here,  all  the  better.  You  know  that  you  are 
not  doing  yourself  any  good." 

"I  am  not  doing  myself  any  harm,  you  young  beggar," 
Julian  replied  good  temperedly. 

"  I  don't  know,  Julian,"  the  boy  said  sturdily  ;  "  you  are 
not  looking  half  as  well  as  you  used  to  do.  I  am  sure  late 
hours  don't  suit  you,  and  there  is  no  good  to  be  got  out  of 
billiards.  I  know  the  sort  of  fellows  you  meet  there  are  not 
the  kind  to  do  you  any  good,  or  that  father  would  have  liked 
to  see  you  associate  with  if  he  had  been  alive.  Just  ask  your- 
self honestly  if  you  think  he  would.  If  you  can  say  '  yes,'  I 
will  shut  up  and  say  no  more  about  it ;  but  can  you  say 
'yes'?" 

Julian  was  silent.  "I  don't  know  that  I  can,"  he  said 
after  a  pause.  "  There  is  no  harm  in  any  of  them  that  I 
know  of,  but  I  suppose  that  in  the  way  you  put  it,  they  are 
not  the  set  father  would  have  fancied,  with  his  strict  notions. 
I  have  thought  of  giving  it  up  a  good  many  times,  but  it  is  an 


16  THROUGH    RUSSIAN   SNOWS 

awkward  thing,  when  you  are  mixed  up  with  a  lot  of  fellows, 
to  drop  them  without  any  reason." 

"You  have  only  got  to  say  that  you  find  late  hours  don't 
agree  with  you,  and  that  you  have  made  up  your  mind  to  cut 
it  altogether." 

"  That  is  all  very  well  for  you,  Frank,  and  I  will  do  you 
justice  to  say  that  if  you  determined  to  do  a  thing,  you  would 
do  it  without  minding  what  any  one  said." 

"  Without  minding  what  any  one  I  did  not  care  for,  said," 
Frank  interrupted.  "Certainly;  why  should  I  heed  a  bit 
what  people  I  do  not  care  for  say,  so  long  as  I  feel  that  I  am 
doing  what  is  right." 

"  I  wish  I  were  as  strong-willed  as  you  are,  Frank,"  Julian 
said  rather  ruefully,  "  then  I  should  not  have  to  put  up  with 
being  bullied  by  a  young 'brother." 

"  You  are  too  good  tempered,  Julian,"  Frank  said,  almost 
angrily.  "  Here  are  you,  six  feet  high  and  as  strong  as  a 
horse,  and  with  plenty  of  brain  for  anything,  just  wasting  your 
life.  Look  at  the  position  father  held  here,  and  ask  yourself 
how  many  of  his  old  friends  do  you  know.  Why,  rather 
than  go  on  as  you  are  doing,  I  would  enlist  and  go  out  to  the 
Peninsula  and  fight  the  French.  That  would  put  an  end  to 
all  this  sort  of  thing,  and  you  could  come  back  again  and 
start  afresh.  You  will  have  money  enough  for  anything  you 
like.  You  come  into  half  father's  ^16,000  when  you  come 
of  age,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  you  will  have  Aunt's 
money. ' ' 

"  Why  should  I?"  Julian  asked  in  a  more  aggrieved  tone 
than  he  had  hitherto  used. 

"  Because  you  are  her  favourite,  Julian,  and  quite  right 
that  you  should  be.  You  have  always  been  awfully  good  to 
her,  and  that  is  one  reason  why  I  hate  you  to  be  out  of  an 
evening ;  for  although  she  never  says  a  word  against  you,  and 
certainly  would  not  hear  any  one  else  do  so,  I  tell  you  it 


TWO    BROTHERS  17 

gives  me  the  blues  to  see  her  face  as  she  sits  there  listening 
for  your  footsteps." 

"It  is  a  beastly  shame,  and  I  will  give  it  up,  Frank; 
honour  bright,  I  will." 

"  That  is  right,  old  fellow ;  I  knew  you  would  if  you  could 
only  once  peep  in  through  the  window  of  an  evening  and  see 
her  face." 

"  As  for  her  money,"  Julian  went  on,  "  if  she  does  not 
divide  it  equally  between  us,  I  shall,  you  may  be  sure." 

"  I  sha'n't  want  it,"  Frank  said  decidedly.  "  You  know 
I  mean  to  go  into  the  army,  and  with  the  interest  of  my 
own  money  I  shall  have  as  much  as  I  shall  possibly  want,  and 
if  I  had  more  it  would  only  bother  me,  and  do  me  harm  in 
my  profession.  With  you  it  is  just  the  other  way.  You  are 
the  head  of  the  family,  and  as  Father's  son  ought  to  take  a 
good  place.  You  could  buy  an  estate  and  settle  down  on  it, 
and  what  with  its  management,  and  with  horses  and  hunting 
and  shooting,  you  would  be  just  in  your  element. ' ' 

"  Well,  we  will  see  about  it  when  the  time  comes.  I  am 
sure  I  hope  the  old  lady  will  be  with  us  for  a  long  time  yet. 
She  is  as  kind-hearted  a  soul  as  ever  lived,  though  it  would 
have  been  better  for  me,  no  doubt,  if  she  held  the  refns  a 
little  tighter.  Well,  anyhow,  Frank,  I  will  cut  the  billiards 
altogether." 

They  exchanged  a  silent  grip  of  the  hand  on  the  promise, 
and  Julian,  looking  more  serious  than  usual,  put  on  his  hat 
and  went  out.  There  was  a  curious  reversal  of  the  usual  re- 
lations between  the  brothers.  Julian,  although  he  always 
laughed  at  his  young  brother's  assumption  of  the  part  of 
mentor,  really  leant  upon  his  stronger  will,  and  as  often  as 
not,  even  if  unconsciously,  yielded  to  his  influence,  while 
Frank's  admiration  for  his  brother  was  heightened  by  the  un- 
failing good  temper  with  which  the  latter  received  his  re- 
monstrances and  advice.  "He  is  an  awfully  good  fellow," 


18  THROUGH   RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

he  said  to  himself  when  Julian  left  the  room.  "  Anyone  else 
would  have  got  into  a  rage  at  my  interference ;  but  he  has 
only  one  fault ;  he  can't  say  no,  and  that  is  at  the  root  of 
everything.  I  can't  understand  myself  why  a  fellow  finds  it 
more  difficult  to  say  no  than  to  say  yes.  If  it  is  right  to  do  a 
thing  one  does  it,  if  it  is  not  right  one  leaves  it  alone,  and 
the  worst  one  has  to  stand,  if  you  don't  do  what  other  fellows 
want,  is  a  certain  amount  of  chaff,  and  that  hurts  no  one." 

Frank,  indeed,  was  just  as  good  tempered  as  Julian,  although 
in  an  entirely  different  way.  He  had  never  been  known  to 
be  in  a  passion,  but  put  remonstrance  and  chaff  aside  quietly, 
and  went  his  own  way  without  being  in  the  slightest  degree 
affected  by  them. 

Julian  kept  his  promise,  and  was  seen  no  more  in  the 
billiard  saloon.  Fortunately  for  him  the  young  fellows  with 
whom  he  was  in  the  habit  of  playing  were  all  townsmen, 
clerks,  the  sons  of  the  richer  tradesmen,  or  of  men  who  owned 
fishing-boats  or  trading  vessels,  and  others  of  that  class — not, 
indeed,  as  Frank  had  said,  the  sort  of  men  whom  Colonel 
Wyatt  would  have  cared  for  his  son  to  have  associated  with — 
but  harmless  young  fellows  who  frequented  the  billiard-rooms 
as  a  source  of  amusement  and  not  of  profit,  and  who  therefore 
had  no  motive  for  urging  Julian  to  play.  To  Mrs.  Trout- 
beck's  delight  he  now  spent  four  or  five  evenings  at  home, 
only  going  out  for  an  hour  to  smoke  a  pipe  and  to  have  a  chat 
with  the  fishermen.  Once  or  twice  a  week  he  would  be 
absent  all  night,  going  out,  as  he  told  his  aunt,  for  a  night's 
fishing,  and  generally  returning  in  the  morning  with  half  a 
dozen  mackerel  or  other  fish  as  his  share  of  the  night's 
work. 

Sometimes  he  would  ask  Frank  to  accompany  him,  and  the 
latter,  when  he  had  no  particular  work  on  hand,  would  do  so, 
and  thoroughly  enjoyed  the  sport. 

Smuggling  was  at  the  time  carried  on  extensively,  and  no- 


TWO   BROTHERS  19 

where  more  actively  than  between  Weymouth  and  Exmouth 
on  the  one  hand,  and  Swanage  on  the  other.  Consequently, 
in  spite  of  the  vigilance  of  the  revenue  men,  cargoes  were 
frequently  run.  The  long  projection  of  Chesil  Beach  and 
Portland  afforded  a  great  advantage  to  the  smugglers;  and 
Lieutenant  Downes,  who  commanded  the  revenue  cutter 
Boxer,  had  been  heard  to  declare  that  he  would  gladly  sub- 
scribe a  year's  pay  if  a  channel  could  be  cut  through  the 
beach.  Even  when  he  obtained  information  that  a  cargo  was 
likely  to  be  run  to  the  west,  unless  the  winds  and  tides  were 
alike  propitious,  it  took  so  long  a  time  to  get  round  Portland 
Bill  that  he  was  certain  to  arrive  too  late  to  interfere  with 
the  landing,  while,  at  times,  an  adverse  wind  and  the  ter- 
rors of  the  "race"  with  its  tremendous  current  and  angry 
waves  would  keep  the  Boxer  lying  for  days  to  the  west  of  the 
Island,  returning  to  Weymouth  only  to  hear  that  during  her 
absence  a  lugger  had  landed  her  cargo  somewhere  to  the 
east. 

"  Job  himself  would  have  lost  his  temper  if  he  had  been  a 
revenue  officer  at  Weymouth,"  Lieutenant  Downes  would  ex- 
claim angrily.  "  Why,  sir,  I  would  rather  lie  for  three 
months  off  the  mouth  of  an  African  river  looking  for  slavers, 
than  be  stationed  at  Weymouth  in  search  of  smuggling  craft, 
for  a  month  ;  it  is  enough  to  wear  a  man  to  a  thread-paper. 
Half  the  coast  population  seem  to  me  to  be  in  alliance  with 
these  rascals,  and  I  am  so  accustomed  to  false  information 
now,  that  as  a  rule  when  one  of  my  men  gets  a  hint  that  a 
cargo  is  going  to  be  run  near  Swanage  I  start  at  once  for  the 
west,  knowing  well  enough  that  wherever  the  affair  is  to  come 
off  it  certainly  will  not  be  within  ten  miles  of  the  point 
named.  Even  in  Weymouth  itself  the  sympathy  of  the  popu- 
lation lies  rather  with  the  smugglers  than  the  revenue  men." 

The  long  war  with  France  had  rendered  brandy,  French 
wines,  lace,  and  silks  fabulously  dear,  and  the  heavy  duties 


20  THROUGH    RUSSIAN   SNOWS 

charged  reduced  to  a  minimum  the  legitimate  traffic  that 
might  otherwise  have  been  carried  on  ;  therefore,  even  well- 
to-do  people  favoured  the  men  who  brought  these  luxuries  to 
their  doors,  at  a  mere  fraction  of  the  price  that  they  would 
otherwise  have  had  to  pay  for  them.  Then,  too,  there  was  an 
element  of  romance  in  the  career  of  a  smuggler  who  risked  his 
life  every  day,  and  whose  adventures,  escapes,  and  fights  with 
the  revenue  men  were  told  round  every  fireside.  The  revenue 
officer  was  not  far  wrong  when  he  said  that  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  population  round  the  coast,  including  all  classes, 
were  friendly  to,  if  not  in  actual  alliance  with,  the  smugglers. 
Julian  was  well  aware  that  many  of  the  fishermen  with  whom 
he  went  out  often  lent  a  hand  to  the  smugglers  in  landing 
their  goods  and  taking  them  inland,  or  in  hiding  them  in 
caves  in  the  cliffs  known  only  to  the  smugglers  and  themselves. 
He  had  heard  many  stories  from  them  of  adventures  in  which 
they  had  been  engaged,  and  the  manner  in  which,  by  showing 
signal  lights  from  the  sea,  they  had  induced  the  revenue  men 
to  hurry  to  the  spot  at  which  they  had  seen  a  flash,  and  so 
to  leave  the  coast  clear  for  the  landing  of  the  goods. 

"  It  must  be  great  fun,"  he  said  one  day.  "  I  must  say  I 
should  like  to  take  part  in  running  a  cargo,  for  once." 

"Well,  Master  Julian,  there  would  not  be  much  difficulty 
about  that,  if  so  be  you  really  mean  it.  We  can  put  you  up 
to  it  easy  enough,  but  you  know,  sir,  it  isn't  all  fun.  Some- 
times the  revenue  men  come  down  upon  us  in  spite  of  all  the 
pains  we  take  to  throw  them  off  the  scent.  Captain  Downes 
is  getting  that  artful  that  one  is  never  sure  whether  he  has 
been  got  safely  away  or  not.  A  fortnight  ago  he  pretty  nigh 
came  down  on  a  lugger  that  was  landing  a  cargo  in  Lulworth 
Cove.  We  thought  that  it  had  all  been  managed  well.  Word 
had  gone  round  that  the  cargo  was  to  be  run  there,  and  the 
morning  before,  a  woman  went  on  to  the  cliffs  and  got  in  talk 
with  one  of  the  revenue  men.  She  let  out,  as  how  her  husband 


TWO    BROTHERS  21 

had  been  beating  her,  and  she  had  made  up  her  mind  to  pay 
him  out.  There  was  going,  she  said,  to  be  a  cargo  run  that 
night  at  a  point  half  way  between  Weymouth  and  Lyme  Regis. 

' '  I  know  she  did  the  part  well,  as  she  acted  it  on  three  or 
four  of  us  afterwards,  and  the  way  she  pretended  to  be  in  a 
passion  and  as  spiteful  as  a  cat,  would  have  taken  any  fellow 
in.  In  course  the  revenue  chap  asked  her  what  her  name  was 
and  where  she  lived,  and  I  expect  they  did  not  find  her  when 
they  looked  for  her  afterwards  in  the  place  she  told  him.  He 
wanted  her  to  go  with  him  to  the  officer  of  the  station,  but  she 
said  that  she  would  never  do  that,  for  if  it  got  to  be  known 
that  she  had  peached  about  it,  it  would  be  as  much  as  her  life 
was  worth.  Well,  a  boy  who  was  watching  saw  the  revenue 
chap  go  off,  as  soon  as  she  was  out  of  sight,  straight  to  the 
coast-guard  station,  and  ten  minutes  later  the  officer  in  charge 
there  set  off  for  Weymouth. 

"  The  boy  followed  and  he  saw  him  go  on  board  the  Boxer. 
Directly  afterwards  Captain  Downes  came  ashore  with  him 
and  had  a  long  talk  with  the  chief  of  the  coast-guard  there  ; 
then  he  went  on  board  again,  and  we  all  chuckled  when  we 
saw  the  Boxer  get  up  her  anchor,  set  all  sail,  make  out  to 
Portland,  and  go  round  the  end  of  the  rock.  Two  hours  later 
a  look-out  on  the  hills  saw  her  bearing  out  to  sea  to  the  south- 
west, meaning,  in  course,  to  run  into  the  bay  after  it  was  dark. 
On  shore  the  officer  at  Weymouth  got  a  horse  and  rode  along 
the  cliffs  to  the  eastward.  He  stopped  at  each  coast-guard 
station,  right  on  past  Lulworth,  and  soon  afterwards  three 
parts  of  the  men  at  each  of  them  turned  out  and  marched 
away  west. 

"  We  thought  that  we  had  fooled  them  nicely,  and  that 
evening  half  a  dozen  of  our  boats  sailed  into  Lulworth  har- 
bour and  anchored  there  quiet.  One  of  them  rowed  ashore 
and  landed  two  hands  to  look  round.  They  brought  back 
news  as  there  were  only  two  or  three  revenue  men  left  at  the 


22  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

station,  and  it  would  be  easy  enough  to  seize  them  and  tie 
them  up  till  it  was  all  over.  In  course,  everything  worked  ibr 
a  bit  just  as  we  thought  it  would.  The  lugger  we  were  ex- 
pecting showed  her  light  in  the  offing  and  was  signalled  that 
the  coast  was  clear.  It  was  a  dark  night,  and  the  two  revenue 
men  on  duty  in  the  cove  were  seized  and  tied  up  by  some  of 
the  shore  band  without  a  blow  being  struck.  Two  or  three 
chaps  were  placed  at  the  door  of  the  station,  so  that  if  the  two 
men  left  there  turned  out  they  would  be  gagged  at  once. 
Everything  was  ready,  and  a  big  lot  of  carts  came  down  to 
the  water's  edge.  The  lugger  anchored  outside  the  cove  ;  we 
got  up  our  kedges  and  rowed  out  to  her,  and  a  dozen  shore- 
boats  did  the  same.  As  soon  as  we  got  alongside  they  began 
to  bundle  the  kegs  in,  when  not  three  hundred  yards  away 
came  a  hail,  '  What  craft  is  that?  ' 

"  It  struck  us  all  into  a  heap,  and  you  could  have  heard  a 
pin  drop.  Then  came  the  hail  again,  '  If  you  don't  answer  I 
will  sink, you,'  whereupon  the  skipper  of  the  lugger  shouted 
out,  '  the  Jennie  of  Portsmouth.'  '  Lend  a  hand,  lads,  with 
the  sails, 'he  whispered  to  us;  'slip  the  cable,  Tom.'  We 
ran  up  the  sails  in  a  jiffy,  you  may  be  sure,  and  all  the  sharper 
that,  as  they  were  half-way  up,  four  guns  flashed  out.  One 
hulled  the  lugger,  the  others  flew  overhead.  Close  as  they 
were  they  could  not  have  seen  us,  for  we  could  scarce  see 
them  and  we  were  under  the  shadow  of  the  cliffs,  but  I  suppose 
they  fired  at  the  voices.  'Sink  the  tubs,  lads,'  the  skipper 
said  as  the  lugger  glided  away  from  us.  There  was  a  nice 
little  air  blowing  off  shore,  and  she  shot  away  into  the  dark- 
ness in  no  time.  We  all  rowed  into  the  mouth  of  the  cove 
for  shelter,  and  were  only  just  in  time,  for  a  shower  of  grape 
splashed  the  water  up  a  few  yards  behind  us. 

"We  talked  it  over  for  a  minute  or  two,  and  settled  that 
the  Boxer  would  be  off  after  the  lugger  and  would  not  pay 
any  more  attention  to  us.  Some  of  them  were  in  favour  of 


TWO    BROTHERS  23 

taking  the  kegs  that  we  had  got  ashore,  but  the  most  of  us 
were  agin  that,  and  the  captain  himself  had  told  us  to  sink 
them,  so  we  rowed  out  of  the  cove  again  and  tied  sinkers 
to  the  kegs  and  lowered  them  down  three  or  four  hundred 
yards  west  of  the  mouth  of  the  cove.  We  went  on  board 
our  boats  and  the  other  chaps  went  on  shore,  and  you  may 
guess  we  were  not  long  in  getting  up  our  sails  and  creeping 
out  of  the  cove.  It  was  half  an  hour  after  the  first  shots 
were  fired  before  we  heard  the  Boxer  at  it  again.  I  reckon 
that  in  the  darkness  they  could  not  make  out  whether  the 
lugger  had  kept  along  east  or  west  under  the  cliffs,  and  I 
expect  they  went  the  wrong  way  at  first,  and  only  found 
her  at  last  with  their  night-glasses  when  she  was  running  out 
to  sea. 

"  Well,  next  morning  we  heard  that  the  shore  men  had  not 
landed  five  minutes  when  there  was  a  rush  of  forty  or  fifty 
revenue  men  into  the  village.  There  ain't  no  doubt  they  had 
only  gone  west  to  throw  us  off  our  guard,  and,  as  soon  as  it 
was  dark,  turned  and  went  eastward.  They  could  not  have 
known  that  the  job  was  to  come  off  at  Lulworth,  but  were  on 
the  look-out  all  along,  and  I  reckon  that  it  was  the  same  with 
the  Boxer.  She  must  have  beaten  back  as  soon  as  it  was  dark 
enough  for  her  not  to  be  seen  from  the  hills,  and  had  been 
crawling  along  on  the  look-out  close  to  the  shore,  when  she 
may  have  caught  sight  of  the  lugger's  signal.  Indeed,  we 
heard  afterwards  that  it  called  back  the  coast-guard  men,  for 
they  had  passed  Lulworth  and  were  watching  at  a  spot  between 
that  and  St.  Alban's  Head,  where  a  cargo  had  been  run  a 
month  or  two  before,  when  they  caught  sight  of  the  signal  off 
Lulworth.  Well,  you  may  guess  they  did  not  get  much  for 
their  pains.  The  carts  had  all  made  off  as  soon  as  they  heard 
the  Boxer' s  guns,  and  knew  that  the  game  was  up,  for  the 
night  anyhow,  and  they  found  every  light  out  in  Lulworth, 
and  everyone,  as  it  seemed,  fast  asleep.  I  believe,  from  what 


24  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

I  have  heard,  that  there  was  a  great  row  afterwards  between 
Captain  Downes  and  the  revenue  officer  ashore.  The  chap 
ashore  would  have  it  that  it  was  all  the  captain's  fault  for 
being  in  such  a  hurry,  and  that  if  he  had  waited  an  hour  they 
would  have  got  all  the  carts  with  the  cargo,  even  if  he  had 
not  caught  the  lugger. 

"  Well,  that  was  true  enough ;  but  I  don't  see  that  Downes 
was  to  blame,  for  until  he  came  along  he  could  not  be  sure 
where  the  lugger  was,  and  indeed  she  was  so  close  in  under 
the  cliff  that  it  is  like  enough  he  would  have  missed  her 
altogether  and  have  gone  on  another  two  or  three  miles,  if 
it  had  not  been  that  they  caught  the  noise  of  the  boats 
alongside  her  taking  in  the  kegs.  The  lugger  got  away  all 
right ;  she  is  a  fast  craft,  and  though  the  Boxer  can  walk 
along  in  a  strong  wind,  in  a  light  breeze  the  lugger  had  the 
legs  of  her  altogether.  That  shows  you,  Mr.  Julian,  that 
Captain  Downes  has  cut  his  eye-teeth,  and  that  it  is  mighty 
hard  to  fool  him.  He  was  never  nearer  making  a  good 
capture  than  he  was  that  night.  The  lugger  ran  her  cargo 
two  nights  afterwards  at  the  very  spot  where  the  woman  had 
told  the  revenue  man  that  she  was  going  to  do  it.  There  was 
a  little  bit  of  a  fight,  but  the  coast-guard  were  not  strong 
enough  to  do  any  good,  and  had  to  make  off,  and  before  they 
could  bring  up  anything  like  a  strong  force,  every  bale  and  keg 
had  been  carried  inland,  and  before  morning  there  was  scarce 
a  farmhouse  within  ten  miles  that  had  not  got  some  of  it 
stowed  away  in  their  snug  hiding-places.  Downes  will  be 
more  vicious  than  ever  after  that  job,  and  you  see,  master, 
you  are  like  to  run  a  goodish  risk  of  getting  your  head  broke 
and  of  being  hauled  off  to  jail.  Still,  if  you  would  like  to 
join  some  night  in  a  run  we  can  put  you  in  the  way." 

"Yes,  I  should  like  it  very  much,"  Julian  said.  "There 
can't  be  much  risk,  for  there  has  not  been  anything  like  a 
regular  fight  anywhere  along  this  part  of  the  coast  for  the 


TWO    BROTHERS  25 

last  two  years,  and  from  what  I  have  heard,  there  must  have 
been  twenty  cargoes  run  in  that  time." 

"All  that,  sir,  all  that;  nigher  thirty,  I  should  say.  There 
is  three  luggers  at  it  reg'lar." 

"Are  they  French  or  English  ?  " 

"  Two  of  them  is  French  and  one  English,  but  the  crews 
are  all  mixed.  They  carry  strong  crews  all  of  them,  and  a 
longish  gun  in  their  sterns,  so  that  in  case  they  are  chased  they 
may  have  a  chance  of  knocking  away  a  spar  out  of  anything 
after  them.  They  would  not  fight  if  a  cutter  came  up  along- 
side them — that  might  make  a  hanging  matter  of  it,  while  if 
none  of  the  revenue  chaps  are  killed  it  is  only  a  case  of  long 
imprisonment,  though  the  English  part  of  the  crew  generally 
have  the  offer  of  entering  on  a  king's  ship  instead,  and  most 
of  them  take  it.  Life  on  board  a  man-of-war  may  not  be  a 
pleasant  one,  but  after  all  it  is  better  than  being  boxed  up  in 
a  prison  for  years.  Anyhow,  that  is  the  light  in  which  I 
should  look  at  it  myself." 

"  I  should  think  so,"  Julian  agreed.  "  However,  you  see 
there  is  no  great  risk  in  landing  the  kegs,  for  it  is  very  seldom 
you  get  so^nearly  caught  as  you  did  at  Lulworth.  Let  me 
know  when  the  next  affair  is  coming  off,  Bill,  and  if  it  is  any- 
where within  a  moderate  distance  of  Weymouth  I  will  go 
with  you  if  you  will  take  me.  Anyhow,  whether  I  go  or 
not,  you  may  be  quite  sure  that  I  shall  keep  the  matter  to 
myself. ' ' 

"  The  most  active  chap  about  here,"  Bill  said  after  he  had 
hauled  his  nets,  and  the  boat  was  making  her  way  back  to 
Weymouth,  "  is  that  Faulkner.  He  is  a  bitter  bad  one,  he  is. 
Most  of  the  magistrates  about  here  don't  trouble  their  heads 
about  smuggling,  and  if  they  find  a  keg  of  first  class  brandy 
quite  accidental  any  morning  on  their  doorstep,  they  don't 
ask  where  it  comes  from,  but  just  put  it  down  into  their 
cellars.  Sometimes  information  gets  sworn  before  them,  and 


26  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

they  has  to  let  the  revenue  people  know,  but  somehow  or 
other,  I  can't  say  how  it  is,"  and  the  fisherman  gave  a  por- 
tentous wink,  "  our  fellows  generally  get  some  sort  of  an  idea 
that  things  ain't  right,  and  the  landing  don't  come  off  as 
expected  ;  queer,  ain't  it  ?  But  that  fellow  Faulkner,  he  ain't 
like  that.  He  worries  hisself  about  the  smugglers  just  about 
as  much  as  Captain  Downes  does.  He  is  just  as  hard  on 
smugglers  as  he  is  on  poachers,  and  he  is  wonderful  down  on 
them,  he  is.  Do  you  know  him,  sir?  " 

"  I  know  him  by  sight.  He  is  a  big,  pompous  man  ;  his 
place  is  about  two  miles  up  the  valley,  and  there  are  some 
large  woods  round  it." 

"That  is  so,  sir;  and  they  say  as  they  are  choke-full  of 
pheasants.  He  has  a  lot  of  keepers,  and  four  years  ago  there 
was  a  desperate  fight  there.  Two  keepers  and  three  poachers 
got  shot,  and  two  others  were  caught ;  they  were  tried  at  the 
'sizes  for  murder  and  hanged.  He  is  a  regular  bully,  he  is, 
but  he  ain't  no  coward.  If  he  was  he  would  never  stir 
out  after  sunset,  but  instead  of  that  he  is  out  night  after 
night  on  the  cliffs,  when  there  is  any  talk  of  a  cargo 
being  run.  He  is  known  to  carry  pistols  about  with  him, 
and  so  though  his  life  has  been  threatened  many  times, 
nothing  has  ever  come  of  it.  One  thing  is,  he  has  got  a 
big  black  horse,  about  the  best  horse  there  is  in  this  part  of 
the  country,  and  he  always  rides  mighty  fast  down  into  the 
town  or  up  on  to  the  cliffs,  where  he  gets  among  the  revenue 
men,  and  in  course  he  is  safe  enough.  He  was  down  with 
that  lot  at  Lulworth  that  night,  and  they  say  he  cussed  and 
swore  loud  enough  to  be  heard  all  over  the  village,  when  they 
found  that  they  had  got  there  too  late.  He  is  a  bitter  bad 
weed,  is  Faulkner." 

"I  know  he  is  very  unpopular  even  in  the  town,"  Julian 
said.  "  He  is  the  hardest  magistrate  on  the  bench,  and  if  it 
were  not  for  the  others  not  a  man  brought  before  him  would 


TWO    BROTHERS  27 

ever  get  off.  I  have  heard  that  he  is  very  much  disliked  by 
the  other  magistrates,  and  that  some  time  ago,  when  he  wanted 
to  join  the  club,  they  would  not  have  him  at  any  price.  I 
can't  make  out  why  a  fellow  should  go  out  of  his  way  to  make 
himself  disliked.  I  can  understand  his  being  down  on 
poachers;  no  one  likes  to  be  robbed,  but  the  smuggling  can- 
not make  any  difference  to  him  one  way  or  the  other." 

"  No;  that  is  what  we  says.  It  don't  concern  him,  'cept 
that  magistrates  are  bound  in  a  sort  of  way  to  see  that  the  law 
is  not  broken.  But  why  shouldn't  he  do  like  the  others  and 
go  on  his  way  quiet,  onless  he  gets  an  information  laid  before 
him,  or  a  warning  from  the  revenue  people  as  he  is  wanted. 
You  mark  my  words,  Master  Julian,  some  night  that  chap  will 
get  a  bullet  or  a  charge  of  shot  in  his  body." 

After  this  Julian  went  on  more  than  one  occasion  with  Bill 
and  other  fishermen  to  look  on  at  the  landing  of  contraband 
cargoes.  If  the  distance  was  within  a  walk  they  would  start 
from  Weymouth  straight  inland,  and  come  down  by  the  road 
along  which  the  carts  were  to  fetch  the  goods  up,  for  it  was  only 
occasionally  that  the  fishermen  would  take  their  boats.  At  Lul- 
worth,  of  course,  there  had  been  no  risk  in  their  doing  so,  as 
boats,  when  fishing  to  the  east,  would  often  make  their  way 
into  the  cove  and  drop  anchor  there  for  a  few  hours.  But 
when  the  run  was  to  be  made  at  lonely  spots,  the  sight  of  fish- 
ing boats  making  in  to  anchor  would  have  excited  the  sus- 
picions of  the  coast-guard  on  the  cliffs.  The  number  of  fish- 
ermen who  took  part  in  the  smugglers'  proceedings  was  but 
small.  All  of  these  had  either  brothers  or  other  relations  on 
board  the  luggers,  or  were  connected  with  some  of  the  smug- 
glers' confederates  on  shore.  They  received  a  handsome  sum 
for  their  night's  work,  which  was  at  times  very  hard,  as  the 
kegs  had  often  to  be  carried  up  steep  and  dangerous  paths  to 
the  top  of  the  cliffs,  and  then  a  considerable  distance  across 
the  downs  to  the  nearest  points  the  carts  could  come  to. 


28  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

It  was  the  excitement  of  the  adventure,  however,  rather 
than  the  pay,  and  the  satisfaction  derived  from  outwitting  the 
revenue  men,  that  was  the  main  attraction  to  the  fishermen. 
Julian  took  no  share  in  the  work.  He  went  dressed  in  the 
rough  clothes  he  wore  on  the  fishing  excursions  at  night,  and 
heartily  enjoyed  the  animated  bustle  of  the  scene,  as  scores  of 
men  carrying  kegs  or  bales  on  their  backs,  made  their  way  up 
some  narrow  ravine,  silently  laid  down  their  loads  beside  the 
carts  and  pack-horses,  and  then  started  back  again  for  another 
trip.  He  occasionally  lent  a  hand  to  lash  the  kegs  on  either 
side  of  the  horses,  or  to  lift  a  bale  into  the  cart.  No  one  ever 
asked  any  question  ;  it  was  assumed  that  he  was  there  with 
one  of  the  carts,  and  he  recognized  the  wisdom  of  Bill's  advice 
the  first  time  he  went  out. 

"It  is  best  not  to  speak  till  you  are  spoken  to,  Master 
Julian ;  there  is  more  chaps  there  besides  yourself,  as  are 
thought  to  be  sound  asleep  in  their  beds  at  Weymouth,  and  it 
is  just  as  well  to  keep  yourself  to  yourself.  There  is  never 
no  knowing  when  things  may  go  wrong,  and  then  it  is  as  likely 
as  not  that  some  one  may  peach,  and  the  fewer  names  as  comes 
out  the  better.  Now  you  mind,  sir,  if  there  is  an  alarm,  and 
the  revenue  chaps  come  down  on  us,  you  just  make  a  bolt  at 
once.  It  ain't  no  business  of  yours,  one  way  or  the  other. 
You  ain't  there  to  make  money  or  to  get  hold  of  cheap 
brandy ;  you  just  go  to  look  on  and  amuse  yourself,  and  all 
you  have  got  to  do  is  to  make  off  as  hard  as  you  can  go  di- 
rectly there  is  an  alarm.  Everyone  else  does  the  same  as  gets 
a  chance,  I  can  tell  you.  The  country  people  never  fight ; 
though  the  smugglers,  if  they  are  cornered,  and  can't  get  back 
to  the  lugger  without  it,  will  use  their  weapons  if  they  see  a 
chance;  but  you  have  got  nothing  to  do  with  that.  Don't 
you  wait  a  minute  for  me  and  my  mates,  for  we  shall  bolt  too. 
If  we  were  on  the  shore  when  thev  came  on  us  we  should  em- 

x 

bark  with  the  crew  and  get  on  board  the  lugger.     In  course, 


TWO    BROTHERS  29 

if  just  a  few  of  the  revenue  men  were  fools  enough  to  come  on 
us,  they  would  be  tumbled  over  in  double  quick  time,  and  tied 
up  till  the  goods  were  all  taken  inland,  and  be  left  till  some 
of  their  mates  found  them  in  the  morning. 

"That  is  how  it  is,  you  know,  that  we  get  most  of  our 
cargoes  run.  One  of  the  chaps  on  the  cliff  may  make  us  out, 
but  you  see  it  takes  a  long  time  to  send  along  the  line  and  get 
enough  of  them  together  to  interfere  with  us.  Unless  they 
have  got  a  pretty  good  strong  force  together,  they  ain't  such 
fools  as  to  risk  their  lives  by  meddling  with  a  hundred  men 
or  more,  with  a  lot  of  valuable  goods  to  land,  and  the  knowl- 
edge that  if  they  are  caught  it  is  a  long  term  in  jail.  The 
men  know  well  enough  that  if  there  is  anything  on,  there  will 
be  a  watch  kept  over  them,  and  that  if  they  were  to  fire  a 
pistol  as  a  signal,  there  would  be  news  of  it  sent  to  the  smug- 
glers in  no  time.  Sometimes,  too,  the  coast-guards  nearest 
the  point  where  the  landing  is  to  be,  are  pounced  on  suddenly 
and  tied  up.  I  reckon,  too,  that  a  good  many  of  them  keep 
an  eye  shut  as  long  as  they  can,  and  then  go  off  pretty  leisurely 
to  pass  the  word  along  that  they  have  heard  oars  or  have  seen 
signals,  especially  if  they  have  got  a  hot-headed  boatswain  in 
charge  of  their  station,  a  sort  of  chap  who  would  want  to  go 
down  to  meddle  with  a  hundred  men,  with  only  five  or  six  at 
his  back.  A  man  with  a  wife  and  some  children,  perhaps, 
don't  relish  the  thought  of  going  into  a  bad  scrimmage  like 
that  if  he  can  keep  out  of  it ;  why  should  he  ?  He  gets  a  bit 
of  money  if  they  make  a  good  seizure,  but  he  knows  well 
enough  that  he  ain't  going  to  make  a  seizure  unless  he  has  got 
a  pretty  strong  party  ;  and  you  take  my  word  for  it,  four  times 
out  of  five  when  we  make  a  clear  run,  it  is  because  the  coast- 
guard keep  an  eye  closed  as  long  as  they  dare.  They  know 
well  enough  that  it  ain't  such  an  uncommon  thing  for  a  man 
to  be  found  at  the  bottom  of  the  cliff,  without  anything  to 
show  how  he  got  there,  and  the  coroner's  jury  finds  as  it  was  a 


30  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

dark  night  and  he  tumbled  over,  and  they  brings  in  a  verdict 
according.  But  it  ain't  every  man  as  cares  about  taking  the 
risk  of  accidents  of  that  kind,  and,  somehow  or  other,  they 
happens  to  just  the  chaps  as  is  wonderful  sharp  and  active. 
They  have  all  been  sailors,  you  know,  and  are  ready  enough 
for  a  fight  when  they  are  strong  enough  to  have  a  chance,  but 
that  is  a  very  different  thing  from  walking  backwards  and  for- 
wards on  a  dark  night  close  to  the  edge  of  a  cliff,  three  or 
four  hundred  feet  high,  without  a  comrade  within  a  quarter  of  a 
mile,  and  the  idea  that  an  accident  of  this  kind  might  occur 
any  time. ' ' 

CHAPTER  II 

BEFORE    THE   JUSTICES 

ONE  morning  when  Frank  was  dressing,  the  servant  came 
up  and  told  him  that  a  fisherman,  who  said  his  name  was 
Bill  Bostock,  wanted  to  speak  to  him.     As  he  had  often  been 
out  with  Julian  in  the  man's  boat,  he  put  on  his  jacket  and 
ran  to  the  door. 

"  Good  morning,  Bill !  "  he  said  ;   "what  is  it  ?  " 
"  I  will  talk  with  you  outside,  sir,  if  you  don't  mind." 
A  good  deal  surprised  Frank  put  on  his  cap  and  went  out 
with  him. 

"There  has  been  a  bad  business,  Master  Frank,  a  mighty 
bad  job." 

"What  sort  of  a  job,  Bill?" 

"A  smuggling  affair,  Master  Frank.  There  was  a  fight. 
I  hears  one  of  the  revenue  men  was  killed.  I  don't  know  as 
that  is  so,  but  some  of  them  have  been  knocked  about,  and 
have  got  some  pistol  wounds,  no  doubt.  But  that  ain't  the 
worst  part  of  the  business.  Mr.  Julian  is  among  those  as  has 
been  caught." 


BEFORE    THE   JUSTICES  31 

"Julian!"  Frank  exclaimed  in  astonishment.  "Why, 
what  in  the  world  had  Julian  got  to  do  with  it  ?  " 

"  Well,  sir,"  the  sailor  said  apologetically,  "  you  see  it  was 
like  this.  Mr.  Julian  is  a  young  gentleman  as  loves  a  bit  of 
a  spree,  and  he  has  been  out  many  a  night  with  some  of  us  to 
see  a  cargo  run. ' ' 

Frank  uttered  an  exclamation  of  surprise  and  consterna- 
tion. 

' '  I  thought  perhaps  as  you  knowed  it,  sir. ' ' 

"I  never  dreamt  of  such  a  thing,  Bill.  How  could  Julian 
have  been  so  mad  as  to  mix  himself  up  in  such  a  business  ?  I 
suppose  this  is  your  doing;  you  must  have  led  him  into  this 
mischief. ' ' 

"  No,  sir,"  the  sailor  said  in  an  aggrieved  voice.  "  How 
was  I  to  lead  a  young  gentleman  like  your  brother  into  a  thing 
as  he  didn't  choose  to  do  ?  I  don't  say  as  I  didn't  mention  to 
him,  promiscuous  like,  that  I  lent  a  hand  some  times  in  running 
a  cargo ;  but  how  was  I  to  know  as  he  would  up  and  say,  '  I 
will  go  with  you  some  night,  Bill.'  Well,  I  argues  with  him, 
and  I  points  out  to  him  as  he  might  get  into  a  scrape ;  but, 
says  he,  '  I  am  not  going  to  take  no  share  in  it,  but  just  want 
to  look  on  and  see  the  fun,'  as  he  calls  it.  I  points  out  to  him 
as  it  was  not  always  fun,  but  he  puts  that  aside,  and,  says  he, 
it  would  not  be  fun  unless  there  was  a  little  excitement  about 
it.  He  promised  me  faithful  that  he  would  always  cut  and  run 
as  soon  as  he  heard  there  was  any  talk  of  the  revenue  men 
a-coming,  and  what  was  I  to  do?  I  don't  say,  sir,  as  how  if 
it  had  been  you  I  would  have  taken  you  with  me,  'cause  you 
are  young,  you  see,  and  I  should  have  felt  as  I  was  'sponsible 
for  you.  But  Mr.  Julian  is  a  man  now,  and  when  he  says,  '  I 
mean  to  go  with  you  anyhow,  Bill,'  it  was  not  for  me  to  say, 
you  sha'n't  go.  Mr.  Julian,  he  is  a  sort  of  gent  that  gets  over 
one  somehow,  and  there  ain't  no  saying  '  no  '  to  him." 

"  Well,  it  is  of  no  use  talking  about  that  now,"  Frank  said 


32  THROUGH    RUSSIAN   SNOWS 

impatiently.  "  First  tell  me  all  about  it,  and  then  we  will  see 
what  had  best  be  done." 

"  Well,  Master  Frank,  it  was  eight  miles  to  the  west.  The 
chaps  concerned  in  it  thought  they  had  managed  to  throw  dust 
into  the  eyes  of  Captain  Dowries,  and  to  get  the  Boxer  away 
to  Swanage,  and  how  he  got  wind  of  the  affair,  and  where  it 
was  to  be,  is  more  nor  I  can  tell.  Everything  was  going  on 
smooth  enough,  and  half  the  cargo  was  in  the  carts,  when  all 
of  a  sudden  there  was  a  shout  '  Surrender,  you  scoundrels  ! ' 
and  that  fellow  Faulkner  dashed  up  with  a  pistol  in  his  hand, 
and  behind  him  came  a  score  of  revenue  men.  I  dodged 
under  a  cart  and  bolted.  I  heard  some  pistol  shots  fired,  for 
just  at  that  time  a  lot  of  the  smugglers  had  come  up  to  the  carts 
with  kegs.  As  if  the  firing  on  shore  had  been  a  signal,  I 
heard  directly  after  some  guns  down  by  the  water,  and  knew 
that  Downes  and  the  Boxer  had  come  on  the  lugger.  I  made 
straight  back,  but  I  could  not  sleep  all  night  for  wondering 
whether  Mr.  Julian  had  got  off  too,  and  I  was  up  afore  it  was 
light,  and  went  round  to  one  or  two  of  the  other  chaps  as  was 
there.  One  had  not  come  back  ;  the  other  had  only  been  in 
half  an  hour.  He  had  hid  up,  close  to  where  we  was  surprised. 

"  After  it  was  over  the  revenue  chaps  lit  a  lot  of  lanterns 
and  then  made  a  big  fire,  and  by  its  light  my  mate  could  see 
pretty  well  what  was  going  on.  They  had  got  about  twenty 
prisoners.  Most  of  the  country  people  and  carts  had,  luckily 
enough  for  them,  gone  off  with  their  loads  a  few  minutes  afon,> 
the  revenue  men  came  up.  A  dozen  pack-horses  and  three  or 
four  carts  had  been  took,  and,  in  course,  all  the  loads  the  men 
were  carrying  up.  Among  those  who  was  took  was  Mr. 
Julian.  He  was  standing  close  to  me  when  they  came  up, 
and  I  expect  he  was  collared  immediate.  Faulkner,  he  sat 
down  on  a  tub  by  the  side  of  the  fire  and  takes  out  a  book, 
and  the  prisoners  was  brought  up  one  by  one  and  questions 
asked  them.  Mr.  Julian  was  one  of  the  last.  Faulkner  got 


BEFORE    THE   JUSTICES  33 

up  from  his  seat  and  rowed  him  tremendous.  What  he  said 
my  mate  could  not  catch,  but  he  could  hear  his  voice,  and  he 
was  going  on  at  him  cruel;  then  I  suppose  Mr.  Julian  lost  his 
temper,  and  my  mate  says  he  could  see  that  he  was  giving  it 
him  back  hot.  I  expect  it  was  something  wonderful  hard  and 
nasty  he  said,  for  Faulkner  jumped  at  him  and  hit  him  in  the 
face.  Then  your  brother  threw  himself  on  him.  My  mate 
says  he  would  have  thrown  him  backwards  into  the  fire,  if 
some  of  the  revenue  men  had  not  seized  him  and  dragged 
him  off. 

"  After  that  there  was  a  row  between  Faulkner  and  Captain 
Downes,  who  had  come  up  just  before  with  half  a  dozen 
sailors.  I  expect  Downes  was  telling  him  that  he  ought  to 
be  ashamed  of  himself.  Anyhow  they  got  to  high  words,  as 
was  easy  to  be  heard.  Half  an  hour  later  most  of  them  started 
with  the  prisoners,  leaving  half  a  dozen  of  the  officers  to  look 
after  the  things  they  had  taken.  When  they  had  gone,  my 
mate  went  down  close  to  the  water,  and  was  able  to  make  out 
the  cutter  and  the  lugger  anchored  close  together — so  she  has 
been  caught.  There  was  nothing  else  to  wait  for,  so  he 
tramped  off  home  and  had  only  been  in  a  few  minutes  before 
I  came  to  him." 

"  This  is  awful,"  Frank  said,  in  dismay.  "  The  only  thing 
I  see  that  can  be  done  is  for  me  to  go  and  have  a  talk  with 
Captain  Downes.  He  was  a  friend  of  my  father's ;  and  I 
think  he  is  a  kind-hearted  man,  though,  of  course,  he  has  to 
be  sharp  in  carrying  out  his  duty  of  trying  to  put  down 
smuggling.  Well,  I  will  run  in  for  breakfast  now,  or  my  aunt 
will  wonder  what  has  become  of  me;  then  I  will  go  straight 
on  board  the  Boxer. 

"She  is  not  in  yet,"  Bill  said.  "She  would  not  start 
until  daylight ;  and  I  don't  suppose  she  will  be  round  for  an- 
other two  hours.  You  see  she  is  not  clear  of  Portland  Bill 
yet." 


34  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"That  is  unfortunate.  However,  I  hope  I  shall  see  him 
before  the  magistrates  sit.  What  time  do  they  meet?  " 

"  They  generally  sit  at  eleven  o'clock  ;  but  it  ain't  their 
day,  and  they  will  have  to  be  summoned  special.  I  should 
not  wonder  if  they  don't  meet  till  two  o'clock  ;  because  they 
could  not  be  sure  what  time  the  Boxer  will  get  round,  and,  as 
he  will  have  taken  some  prisoners  in  the  lugger,  they  would 
not  begin  until  he  arrived." 

"Very  well;  I  will  go  round  to  the  court-house  after 
breakfast,  and  inquire  what  time  the  sitting  will  be.  Any- 
how, I  hope  to  be  able  to  see  the  lieutenant  before  they  meet. 
I  don't  know  that  any  good  can  come  of  it ;  for,  as  he  had 
nothing  to  do  with  Julian's  capture,  he  certainly  would  not 
be  able  to  save  him  from  appearing,  especially  after  that  row 
with  Faulkner." 

"  He's  a  bad  un  that,  Master  Frank,  and  I  wish  your 
brother  had  chucked  him  into  that  fire.  A  bit  of  burning 
might  have  done  him  good ;  and,  if  ever  a  chap  deserved  it, 
he  did." 

Frank  went  back  into  the  house. 

"My  dear  Frank,"  Mrs.  Troutbeck  exclaimed,  "where 
have  you  been  ?  I  have  never  known  you  keep  breakfast 
waiting  before.  Why,  what  is  the  matter,  dear?  Nothing 
about  Julian,  I  hope  ;  hasn't  he  come  home  yet  ?  " 

"  No,  Aunt ;  and  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  he  has  got  into  an 
awkward  scrape.  It  seems  that  he  went  out,  for  the  fun  of  the 
thing,  to  see  a  cargo  run.  The  revenue  people  came  up,  and 
he  was  one  of  those  who  were  caught.  Of  course  he  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  smuggling  part  of  the  business,  nor 
with  a  bit  of  a  fight  there  was.  Still,  as  he  was  there,  I  am 
afraid  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  will  have  to  appear  before  the 
magistrates  with  the  others. ' ' 

Mrs.  Troutbeck  sat  in  speechless  consternation. 

"Oh,  dear  !  oh,  dear  !  ''  she  exclaimed  at  last.      "  How 


UKFORE    THE    JUSTICES  35 

could  he  have  been  so  silly?  It  is  dreadful,  my  dear,  and  it 
will  be  such  a  disgrace.  What  shall  we  do  ?  " 

"  There  is  nothing  to  do,  Aunt,  that  I  can  see.  As  to  the 
disgrace,  that  is  nothing  very  dreadful.  No  end  of  people 
are  mixed  up  in  smuggling ;  and  I  have  heard  that  many  of 
the  gentry  wink  at  it,  and  are  glad  enough  to  buy  a  keg  of 
brandy  cheap  without  asking  any  questions  where  it  comes 
from.  So  the  mere  fact  that  Julian  wrent  to  have  a  look  at  a 
cargo  being  run  is  not  anything  very  serious.  I  suppose  it  was 
against  the  law  even  to  be  present,  but  there  was  nothing 
disgraceful  about  it.  It  is  lucky  my  holidays  began  last 
week,  and  if  there  is  anything  to  be  done  I  can  do  it." 

"  Could  not  Mr.  Downes  get  him  off?  He  used  often  to 
be  here  in  your  father's  time,  though  I  have  not  seen  much  of 
him  since ;  but  I  am  sure  he  would  do  anything  he  could." 

"  I  have  been  thinking  of  that,  Aunt.  The  Boxer  was 
there  last  night  and  captured  the  smuggler,  but  her  crew  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  fight  on  shore ;  and,  therefore,  I  don't 
think  there  is  any  chance  of  his  being  able  to  interfere  in  the 
matter.  Still,  I  will  see  him  as  soon  as  the  cutter  comes  in." 

On  going  down  to  the  court-house,  Frank  found  that  the 
magistrates  would  meet  at  two  o'clock.  Then,  as  the  Boxer 
had  only  just  appeared  round  Portland,  he  went  and  saw  the 
chief  officer  of  the  coast-guard  to  endeavour  to  obtain  permis- 
sion to  have  an  interview  with  Julian. 

"  I  am  sorry  I  can  do  nothing  in  the  matter,  lad,"  he  re- 
plied. "  It  is  out  of  my  hands,  owing  to  a  magistrate  being 
present  at  the  capture.  It  was,  indeed,  his  business  more  than 
ours  ;  for  it  was  he  who  obtained  information  of  the  affair,  and 
called  upon  us  to  aid  him  in  the  capture  of  men  engaged  in 
unlawful  practices.  Therefore,  you  see,  the  prisoners  are  in 
the  hands  of  the  civil  authorities.  I  hear  he  has  given  strict 
orders  that  no  one  is,  on  any  pretence,  to  speak  to  the  pris- 
oners. ' ' 


36  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  I  hear  that  he  struck  my  brother." 

"  I  don't  know  how  you  heard  it,  lad,  but  it  is  true.  How- 
ever, I  do  not  feel  at  liberty  to  say  anything  about  it.  I  am 
very  sorry  for  your  brother,  who  is  a  fine  young  fellow. 
However,  I  hope  that  as  he  was  unarmed,  and  was  not,  I  sup- 
pose, actually  concerned  in  the  smuggling  business,  the  mat- 
ter will  be  passed  over  lightly,  even  if  he  is  not  discharged  at 
once.  At  any  rate,  we  shall  in  no  way  press  the  case  against 
him." 

Frank,  indeed,  afterwards  learned  that  the  officer  dropped 
a  hint  to  the  men  to  make  as  little  as  possible  of  Julian's 
capture,  and  of  the  vigorous  resistance  he  had  made  when 
first  seized. 

The  Boxer  dropped  anchor  off  the  town  at  twelve  o'clock, 
and  the  lieutenant  landed  at  once.  The  officer  of  the  coast- 
guard went  down  to  meet  him  on  the  quay,  and  for  half  an 
hour  they  walked  up  and  down  the  parade  together,  in  earnest 
conversation.  Frank  remained  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
road  until  they  stopped,  and  the  commander  of  the  Boxer 
beckoned  to  him. 

"  Well,  lad,"  he  said,  as  Frank  came  up,  "  this  is  a  nasty 
scrape  that  your  brother  has  got  into  ;  but  I  don't  think  they 
can  do  anything  to  him.  Mr.  Moorsby  has  been  telling  me 
that  you  have  been  to  him  ;  but  neither  he  nor  I  can  do  any- 
thing in  the  matter — it  is  in  the  civil  hands.  If  it  had  been 
anyone  else  but  Faulkner  who  had  been  in  charge,  I  have  no 
doubt  it  could  have  been  managed.  Of  course,  your  brother 
ought  not  to  have  been  there,  but  as  he  was  only  looking  on, 
and  taking  no  active  part  in  the  affair,  he  might  have  been 
released  without  any  difficulty.  However,  I  don't  think  you 
need  worry  yourself.  Certainly,  we  shall  not  press  the  case 
against  him.  It  is  unfortunate  that  he  used  his  tongue  as 
sharply  as  he  did  to  Mr.  Faulkner,  though  I  don't  say  but 
that  he  had  great  provocation,  or  that  what  he  said  was  not 


BEFORE    THE    JUSTICES  37 

perfectly  true  ;  still,  it  would  have  been  much  better  left  un- 
said. However,  I  question  if  before  the  hearing  is  over 
Faulkner  will  not  have  cause  to  regret  that  he  did  not  let 
your  brother  go  home  as  soon  as  they  got  back  here. ' ' 

He  nodded,  and  Frank  understood  that  there  was  no  more 
to  say,  and,  thanking  the  officer,  turned  and  walked  off  home. 
The  fisherman  met  him  on  the  way. 

"You  keep  up  your  heart,  Mr.  Frank.  Me  and  some  of 
the  others  have  been  having  a  talk  with  the  coast-guards,  and 
they  will  be  all  right.  Of  course,  there  is  not  one  of  them 
that  does  not  know  Mr.  Julian,  so  they  won't  say  more  than 
they  can  help  against  him  ;  and  every  one  of  them  is  glad  to 
hear  that  he  gave  it  to  that  Faulkner  hot.  He  ain't  no  more 
a  favourite  with  them  than  he  is  with  other  people,  and  it  was 
not  by  their  own  will  that  they  ran  in  and  pulled  your  brother 
off  him.  If  they  hadn't,  he  would  not  have  been  sitting  on 
the  bench  to-day,  nor  for  many  a  week,  I  reckon ;  for  he 
would  have  been  pretty  badly  burned  if  he  had  fallen  across 
that  fire.  So  you  may  be  sure  that  they  will  make  it  easy  for 
Mr.  Julian,  and  I  expect  you  will  have  him  back  home  this 
evening.  They  would  never  have  took  him  at  all  if  they  had 
known  who  he  was ;  but,  of  course,  being  dark,  and  he  in  his 
fishing  togs,  they  did  not  see  it  was  him." 

Frank  returned  home  in  much  better  spirits  than  he  had  left. 
His  aunt  was  standing  at  the  window,  and  hurried  to  the  door 
to  let  him  in. 

"  Well,  Frank,  have  you  got  him  out?  I  hoped  you  would 
have  brought  him  home  with  you." 

"  There  was  no  chance  of  that,  Aunt.  Of  course,  when 
anyone  is  taken  and  locked  up,  he  cannot  be  discharged  until 
the  case  has  been  gone  into.  But  I  have  seen  Mr.  Moorsby, 
the  coast-guard  officer  on  shore,  and  Captain  Downes,  and 
they  both  say  that  the  case  will  not  be  pressed  against  him, 
and  that,  as  he  was  not  taking  any  part  in  the  affair,  and 


38  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

merely  looking  on,  they  don't  think  anything  will  lie  done 
to  him.  The  coast-guardsmen  who  will  have  to  give  evidence 
all  know  him,  and  will  not  say  anything  against  him  if  they 
can  help  it.  So  I  should  not  be  at  all  surprised,  Aunt,  if  we 
have  him  back  here  this  afternoon." 

"  Oh,  I  do  wish,"  Mrs.  Troutbeck  said  tearfully,  "  that  it 
could  have  been  managed  so  that  he  would  not  have  been 
obliged  to  be  placed  in  the  dock  with  smugglers  and  all 
sorts  of  people. ' ' 

"  It  would,  no  doubt,  have  been  better  if  it  could  have  been 
avoided,  Aunt,  but  there  is  no  helping  it ;  and  if  he  is  dis- 
charged it  won't  go  for  much  against  him — certainly  not  here, 
where  nobody  regards  smuggling  as  a  crime." 

At  half-past  one  Frank  went  down  to  the  court-house.  It 
was  already  crowded,  but  Captain  Downes,  who  came  up  at 
the  same  moment,  took  him  in,  and  obtained  a  place  for  him 
at  the  solicitors'  table.  The  seizure  had  created  quite  a  sen- 
sation in  Weymouth,  not  only  because  two  or  three  Weymouth 
men  were  among  the  prisoners,  but  because,  owing  to  the  fight 
that  had  taken  place,  the  matter  was  very  much  more  serious 
than  a  mere  capture  of  contraband  goods.  There  was  a  gen- 
eral buzz  of  conversation  until  three  magistrates  came  in  and 
took  their  places,  and  there  was  a  little  murmur  of  satisfaction 
as  Colonel  Chambers,  the  chairman,  took  his  seat ;  for,  had 
he  not  been  present,  Mr.  Faulkner,  who  was  next  in  seniority, 
would  have  taken  the  chair.  A  minute  later,  twelve  prisoners 
were  brought  in.  Five  Frenchmen  and  two  Englishmen  were 
a  portion  of  the  crew  of  the  smuggler  ;  two  were  farmers'  men, 
the  drivers  of  the  carts  ;  one  was  a  local  fisherman  ;  the  eleventh 
was  one  of  the  party  that  had  gone  from  Weymouth ;  Julian 
Wyatt  made  up  the  number. 

Two  or  three  of  the  party  had  their  heads  bandaged  up ; 
one  had  his  arm  in  a  sling ;  several  others  had  marks  of  hard 
knocks,  and  Julian  a  pair  of  black  eyes.  When  the  little 


BEFORE    THE   JUSTICES  39 

murmur  that  followed  the  entry  of  the  prisoners  had  subsided, 
and  the  crier  had  called  out  "  Silence  in  court,"  the  inquiry 
began. 

Mr.  Moorsby  was  the  first  witness.  He  deposed  that  hav- 
ing received  information  that  a  landing  of  contraband  goods 
was  likely  to  take  place,  he,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Faulkner, 
who  represented  the  civil  authorities,  went  to  the  spot.  They 
perceived  that  a  landing  of  goods  was  taking  place ;  but,  as  it 
had  been  arranged  that  his  party  should  not  show  themselves 
until  the  revenue  cutter  came  up  and  seized  the  lugger,  they 
remained  in  hiding  until  they  heard  from  a  man  placed  down 
by  the  shore  that  the  cutter  was  coming  in.  Then  they  rushed 
out  and  seized  the  parties  engaged  in  the  proceedings.  Some 
of  them  resisted  violently,  and  a  serious  fray  took  place. 
Three  of  his  men  were  wounded  with  pistol  shots,  one  of 
them  very  seriously.  One  of  the  smugglers  had  been  killed, 
and  three  were  so  seriously  injured  that  they  could  not  at  pres- 
ent be  placed  in  the  dock. 

' '  Are  any  of  the  prisoners  represented  in  court  ? ' '  the 
chairman  asked. 

A  solicitor  sitting  next  to  Frank  rose.  "I  represent  Mr. 
Julian  Wyatt,"  he  said.  Frank  looked  up  at  him  in  surprise. 
The  idea  of  obtaining  legal  assistance  for  Julian  had  not  oc- 
curred to  him,  and  he  wondered  how  his  brother  had  been 
able  to  communicate  with  a  solicitor.  "I  would  suggest, 
your  honour,"  the  latter  went  on,  "  that  the  evidence  should 
be  taken  separately  in  the  different  charges,  as  there  is  a  con- 
siderable difference  in  the  position  of  prisoners." 

Another  solicitor  rose.  "  I  appear  for  John  Turnbull  and 
William  Sims,"  he  said,  "and  I  would  support  the  appeal  of 
Mr.  Probert.  My  clients,  who  are  farming  men,  took  no  part 
whatever  in  the  fray,  which'  is  the  serious  portion  of  the  affair. 
While  I  am  ready  to  admit  that  they  were  engaged  in  the 
illegal  operation  of  aiding  in  the  landing  of  contraband  goods, 


40  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

I  shall  be  able  to  prove  that  they  are  innocent  of  the  more 
serious  charge  of  resisting  by  force  their  capture  by  the  revenue 
officers,  and  with  using  deadly  weapons  against  the  representa- 
tives of  the  law,  and  that  their  case  stands  in  an  altogether 
different  category  to  that  of  the  main  body  of  the  prisoners. ' ' 

"You  do  not  intend,  I  hope,"  Mr.  Faulkner  said,  "  to  ex- 
press a  wish  that  we  should  have  what  would  practically  be 
twelve  investigations  instead  of  one,  or  that  the  witnesses 
should  all  be  obliged  to  go  that  number  of  times  into  the  box. ' ' 

"By  no  means,  your  honour;  I  am  only  intimating  my 
intention  of  cross-examining  each  witness  as  to  the  share  my 
clients  took  in  the  affair,  and  pointing  out  beforehand  that 
their  case  stands  on  an  entirely  different  footing  to  that  of  the 
men  who  took  part  in  the  more  serious  charge  of  resisting  the 
officers. ' ' 

One  after  another  of  the  coast-guard  men  gave  their  evi- 
dence, each  identifying  one  or  more  of  the  prisoners  in  whose 
capture  they  had  taken  a  personal  part.  None  of  the  first  five 
had  anything  to  say  regarding  Julian.  Then  James  Wingfield 
entered  the  box.  After  stating  that  he  was  the  coxswain  of 
the  Wey mouth  coast-guard  boat  he  proceeded  : 

"  When  Mr.  Moorsby  gave  the  order  I  ran  forward.  I  saw 
a  biggish  man  standing  with  his  hands  in  the  pockets  of  his 
pea-jacket.  He  seemed  to  be  looking  on,  and  was  not  at 
work  ;  but,  thinking  thafc  he  might  be'a  leader,  me  and  Harry 
Wilkens  ran  at  him  and  seized  him.  It  was  not  until  after- 
wards we  knew  that  he  was  Mr.  Julian  Wyatt.  After  we  had 
caught  him  I  handed  him  over  to  Wilkens,  and  that  is  all  I 
know  about  him." 

He  then  proceeded  to  testify  against  several  of  the  other 
prisoners  in  whose  capture  he  had  taken  part.  When  he  had 
finished  his  evidence,  Julian's  solicitor  rose. 

"  You  say  that  the  prisoner  you  first  took,  Mr.  Wyatt,  was 
taking  no  active  part  in  the  affair  ?  " 


BEFORE    THE    JUSTICES  41 

"  No,  sir,  he  was  just  standing  there  looking  on." 

"  And  did  he  resist  the  capture  ?  " 

"  Not  to  say  resist,  sir.  When  we  first  clapped  hands  on 
him  he  gave  a  start,  for  we  had  come  upon  him  sudden,  with- 
out noise.  He  just  tried  to  shake  us  off,  not  knowing,  I 
reckon,  who  we  were ;  but  as  soon  as  I  said,  '  In  the  King's 
name,  you  are  my  prisoner,'  he  was  just  as  quiet  as  a  lamb." 

The  solicitor  sat  down.  Then  the  chairman  asked  the 
witness  if  any  arms  were  found  on  the  prisoner. 

"No,  sir." 

"  Not  even  a  stick?  " 

"  I  won't  say  as  he  may  not  have  had  a  bit  of  a  stick,  your 
honour,  though  I  did  not  notice  it,  his  hands  being  in  his 
pockets ;  anyhow,  he  did  not  try  to  use  it." 

Wilkens  was  the  next  witness,  and  his  evidence,  as  far  as 
Julian  was  concerned,  was  precisely  similar  to  that  of  the  cox- 
swain. Against  the  seven  men  of  the  lugger  the  evidence 
was  conclusive.  All  had  resisted  desperately,  and  this  had 
enabled  several  of  their  party  to  make  their  escape  in  the  dark- 
ness. The  Weymouth  fisherman  had  been  caught  coming 
up  from  the  beach  with  a  keg  on  his  shoulder,  and  had  thrown 
it  down  and  attempted  to  run  away,  but  had  made  no  resist- 
ance when  he  had  been  taken  ;  the  two  farm  men  had  been 
captured  at  their  horses'  heads,  and  had  at  once  surrendered. 
When  the  evidence  had  been  gone  through,  Mr.  Probert  ad- 
dressed the  court  on  behalf  of  Julian.  He  urged  that  there 
was  no  evidence  whatever  to  show  that  he  was  concerned 
either  in  the  smuggling  operations  or  in  the  resistance  to  the 
revenue  officers. 

"  I  do  not  pretend,"  he  said,  "  that  he  was  there  by  acci- 
dent ;  but  I  maintain  that  he  was  there  simply  in  the  capacity 
of  a  looker-on.  He  stands,  in  fact,  precisely  in  the  same 
position  that  any  member  of  the  general  public  might  do,  who 
had  been  present  as  a  spectator  at  any  sort  of  riot.  It  is  un- 


4'J  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

questionably  a  very  unwise  action  on  the  part  of  any  individual 
to  attend  a  meeting  of  any  sort  at  which  it  is  possible  that 
riotous  proceedings  may  take  place,  but  I  maintain  that, 
however  imprudent  and  foolish,  there  is  nothing  criminal  in 
his  doing  so,  and  I  am  sure  that  there  is  no  case  on  record  in 
which  a  man  has  been  punished  for  his  presence  at  a  riot  in 
which  he  did  not  participate.  My  client  acted  foolishly,  but 
I  ask  the  court  to  say  that  his  foolishness  was  not  criminal.  He 
had  accidentally  learned  that  there  was  to  be  a  landing  of  con- 
traband goods,  and,  with  the  thoughtlessness  of  youth,  he  went 
to  see  what  he  considered  the  fun.  Even  if  there  had  been  a 
shadow  of  criminality  in  his  being  present,  I  should  ask  you 
to  say  that  the  unpleasant  experience  that  he  has  undergone — 
his  detention  for  twelve  hours  in  a  police  cell,  and  his  appear- 
ance here — is  ample  punishment  for  his  boyish  escapade,  which 
might  have  been  committed  by  any  high-spirited  young  fellow 
of  nineteen." 

After  the  other  solicitor  had  addressed  the  court  on  behalf 
of  the  two  farmers'  men,  the  magistrates  consulted  together. 
The  spectators,  watching  them  attentively,  saw  that  for  a  time 
they  seemed  unanimous,  then  it  was  equally  evident  that  there 
was  a  difference  of  opinion  on  some  point  or  other,  and  they 
presently  rose  and  left  the  court. 

"It  is  Faulkner  against  the  other  two,"  Mr.  Probert  whis- 
pered to  Frank.  "  Of  course  they  were  unanimous  about  the 
smugglers,  but  I  expect  they  differed  as  to  the  others.  It  is 
lucky  that  the  Colonel  is  in  the  chair.  Harrington  is  a  mild 
little  fellow,  and  Faulkner  would  be  able  to  twist  him  round 
his  finger  if  there  were  only  the  two  of  them,  but  there  is  no 
fear  of  that  with  the  Colonel  there  to  keep  him  straight." 

In  ten  minutes  they  returned,  and  by  the  flushed,  angry 
face  of  Mr.  Faulkner,  Frank  judged  at  once  that  he  had  been 
overruled.  The  chairman  briefly  announced  the  decision  of 
the  court,  and  committed  the  seven  smugglers  for  trial  on  the 


BEFORE    THE    JUSTICES  43 

whole  of  the  charges.  The  Weymouth  fisherman  was  also 
committed,  but  only  on  the  charge  of  being  engaged  in  the 
unlawful  act  of  defrauding  His  Majesty's  revenue,  and  was  al- 
lowed out  on  bail.  The  two  farm  labourers  were  fined  fifty 
pounds  apiece,  which  their  solicitor  at  once  paid. 

"The  majority  of  the  bench  are  in  favour  of  your  imme- 
diate discharge,  Mr.  Wyatt,  being  of  opinion  that  the  evi- 
dence has  failed  altogether  to  prove  any  of  the  charges  against 
you,  and,  being  of  opinion  that  you  have  already  paid  dearly 
enough  for  your  reckless  folly  in  attending  an  unlawful  opera- 
tion of  this  kind,  they  trust  that  it  will  be  a  lesson  to  you  for 
life.  The  other  and  more  serious  charge  against  you  will  now 
be  taken." 

Frank,  who  was  in  the  act  of  rising  from  his  seat  in  delight 
at  Julian's  acquittal,  sank  down  again  in  dismay  at  the  con- 
cluding words.  He  had  no  idea  of  any  further  charge. 

"  What  is  it?  "  he  whispered  to  Mr.  Probert. 

"Faulkner  has  charged  him  with  an  attempt  to  murder 
him.  Have  you  not  heard  of  it?  Don't  be  frightened.  I 
have  seen  the  witnesses,  and  have  no  doubt  that  this  case  will 
break  down  like  the  other." 

After  all  the  prisoners  but  Julian  had  been  removed  from 
the  dock,  Mr.  Faulkner  left  the  bench  and  took  his  seat  in  the 
body  of  the  court.  The  charge  was  then  read  over  by  the 
clerk,  and  Mr.  Faulkner's  name  was  called  ;  as  he  stepped  into 
the  witness-box,  a  low  hiss  ran  through  the  fishermen  who 
formed  a  large  proportion  of  the  spectators. 

"  Silence  !"  the  chairman  said  angrily.  "If  I  hear  any 
repetition  of  this  indecent  demonstration,  I  will  have  the 
court  cleared  at  once." 

Mr.  Faulkner  then  proceeded  to  give  his  evidence.  "  He 
had,"  he  said,  "spoken  severely  to  the  prisoner  in  his  quality 
as  a  magistrate,  upon  his  taking  part  in  smuggling  transactions. 
At  this  the  prisoner  became  violently  abusive  and  uttered  such 


44  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

murderous  threats  that  he  thought  he  would  have  struck 
him,  and  in  self-defence  he  (the  witness)  gave  him  a  blow, 
whereupon  the  prisoner  had  sprung  upon  him  like  a  tiger,  had 
lifted  him  in  his  arms,  and  had  carried  him  bodily  towards  the 
fire,  and  would  assuredly  have  thrown  him  into  it  had  he  not 
been  prevented  from  doing  so  by  some  of  the  coast-guards- 
men." 

Mr.  Probert  rose  quietly.  ' '  You  are  a  magistrate,  Mr. 
Faulkner,  I  believe  ?  ' '  Mr.  Faulkner  gave  no  reply  to  the 
question,  and  after  a  little  pause  the  solicitor  went  on  :  "  Do 
you  consider  that,  as  a  magistrate,  Mr.  Faulkner,  it  comes 
within  your  province  to  abuse  a  prisoner  unconvicted  of  any 
crime  ?  ' ' 

"  I  deny  that  I  abused  him,"  Mr.  Faulkner  said  hotly. 

"There  is  no  occasion  for  heat,  sir,"  Mr.  Probert  said 
quietly.  "  You  are  in  the  position  of  a  witness  at  present  and 
not  of  a  magistrate,  and  must  reply  like  any  other  witness. 
Well,  you  deny  having  abused  him.  Do  you  consider  that 
calling  a  gentleman  of  good  standing  in  this  town,  the  son  of 
a  distinguished  officer,  a  loafing  young  scoundrel,-  not  abuse  ; 
or  by  telling  him  that  six  months  in  one  of  His  Majesty's  jails 
would  do  him  a  world  of  good?  " 

"  I  deny  that  I  used  those  words." 

"  Well,  sir,  that  is  a  question  of  pure  credibility.  It  is 
possible  that  I  may  be  in  a  position  to  prove  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  bench  that  you  did  use  them,  and  many  others 
of  an  equally  offensive  character.  Mr.  Wyatt  naturally  re- 
sented such  language,  which  you  had  no  more  right  to  address 
to  him  than  you  would  have  to  address  to  me.  If  a  magis- 
trate forgets  his  position,  and  abuses  a  prisoner  in  the  language 
of  a  fish-fag,  he  must  expect  to  be  answered  in  the  same  way 
by  anyone  of  spirit.  You  say  that,  thereupon,  he  became 
abusive  and  used  murderous  threats?  Now  we  should  like  to 
hear  a  little  more  about  this.  First  of  all,  let  us  hear  the 


BEFORE    THE    JUSTICES  45 

abuse,  will  you?  Tell  the  court,  if  you  please,  Mr.  Faulkner, 
what  were  the  abusive  expressions,"  he  added. 

"  He  said,  sir,  that  I  was  a  disgrace  to  the  bench." 

There  was  a  general  laugh  in  the  court,  which  was  instantly 
repressed.  Mr.  Faulkner's  eyes  ran  furiously  over  the  crowded 
benches. 

"  I  must  ask  you  to  look  at  me,  Mr.  Faulkner,"  the  solici- 
tor said  mildly.  "Well,  he  said  that  you  were  a  disgrace 
to  the  bench.  That  is  scarcely,  perhaps,  as  much  a  matter 
of  abuse  as  one  of  private  opinion.  What  did  he  say 
next  ?  ' ' 

"  He  said  I  was  a  curse  to  the  whole  neighbourhood." 

"  Again  a  mere  matter  of  opinion." 

"And  after  that  that  I  was  a  sneaking,  meddlesome,  inter- 
fering old  fox." 

There  was  again  a  buzz  of  laughter,  mingled  with  exclama- 
tions of  "  So  you  are,"  "  He  wasn't  far  wrong ;  "  upon  which 
Colonel  Chalmers  directed  the  constable  to  turn  all  the  offend- 
ing parties  out  of  court.  Some  fishermen  nearest  to  the  door 
were  hustled  out. 

"Well,  I  am  afraid  that  I  must  admit,"  Mr.  Probert  said, 
"  that  to  call  you  a  meddlesome  old  fox  was  abusive,  although 
nothing  like  so  abusive  as  to  call  a  man  a  loafing  young 
scoundrel.  Now  as  to  the  threats." 

"  He  said  that  I  would  be  brought  home  one  of  these  days 
with  a  bullet  in  my  body." 

"  That  is  purely  a  matter  of  prophecy,  Mr.  Faulkner,  and 
not  a  threat,  unless  he  intended  you  to  understand  that  it  was 
he  who  would  fire  the  bullet.  Do  you  mean  to  tell  the  court 
that  you  had  any  reason  to  suppose  that  this  young  gentleman, 
whose  reputation  is  untarnished,  and  who  has  never  had  a 
charge  brought  against  him  except  the  ridiculous  one  that  has 
just  been  dismissed,  intended  to  imply  by  those  words  that  he 
himself  had  any  idea  of  taking  your  life  ?  " 


4G  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  It  might  bear  that  construction." 

"  It  might  bear  any  construction  in  the  mind  of  a  man  de- 
termined to  see  everything  in  the  worst  possible  light.  It  is 
a  matter  of  public  notoriety,  Mr.  Faulkner,  that  you  have  re- 
ceived several  threatening  letters,  and  that  the  active  part  you 
have  taken  against  poachers  and  smugglers  has  caused  some 
feeling  against  you.  Do  you  not  think  it  likely  that  when 
Mr.  Wyatt  used  the  words  you  have  repeated  he  referred  to 
this  circumstance  ?  ' ' 

"A  magistrate  who  does  his  duty  must  necessarily  be  un- 
popular with  the  criminal  classes." 

"Possibly,  Mr.  Faulkner,  though  I  have  known  many 
magistrates  who  did  their  duty  and  who  were  by  no  means  un- 
popular ;  but  you  have  not  answered  my  question.  Do  you 
not  think  that  in  saying  what  he  did  Mr.  Wyatt  simply  al- 
luded to  the  fact  of  your  well-known  unpopularity,  and  to  the 
threatening  letters  that  you  have  received?  " 

"Possibly  he  did,"  Mr.  Faulkner  admitted  reluctantly, 
"  although  that  was  not  my  impression  at  the  time." 

"Well,  then,  unless  there  were  further  threats,  as  you  call 
them,  I  think  we  have  disposed  of  the  alleged  abuse  and  the 
alleged  murderous  threats.  Now  we  come  to  the  other  charge. 
You  thought  that  he  was  about  to  strike  you,  and  in  self- 
defence  gave  him  a  blow.  What  made  you  think  that  he  was 
going  to  strike  you?  " 

"  He  made  a  step  towards  me  with  a  threatening  gesture." 

"  Oh,  I  dare  say  that  he  was  angry,  but  a  gentleman  who 
has  been  called  a  loafing  young  scoundrel  is  somewhat  apt  to 
lose  his  temper.  You  might  even  do  so  yourself,  Mr.  Faulk- 
ner, if  so  addressed.  Well,  then,  he  made  a  step  towards 
you  ;  thereupon  you  struck  him  in  the  face,  and  judging  from 
his  appearance  you  struck  him  pretty  hard,  and  then  you  say 
he  caught  you  up  and  carried  you  along.  It  says  a  good  deal 
for  his  strength  that  he  was  able  to  do  so.  Now  you  say  he 


BEFORE    THE    JUSTICES  47 

carried  you  towards  the  fire,  and  would  have  thrown  you  upon 
it  had  not  some  of  the  coast-guardsmen  interfered  in  time. 
Now,  how  do  you  know  that  that  was  his  intention?  " 

"  I  firmly  believe  that  it  was  so." 

"It  is  not  a  question  of  belief.  You  might  believe  that 
he  was  going  to  throw  you  up  to  the  moon.  You  struggled,  I 
suppose — you  would  scarcely  submit  to  be  carried  like  a  baby 
— I  imagine  that  is  about  the  long  and  short  of  it.  But  even 
if  he  had  intended  to  throw  you  on  the  fire,  which  certainly 
seems  to  be  merely  a  matter  of  your  imagination,  you  can 
hardly  pretend  that  had  he  carried  out  this  intention  that  it 
would  have  been  murder.  Surely  with  a  score  of  your  friends 
standing  by,  you  would  have  been  hauled  out  immediately, 
none  the  worse  except  for  a  few  singes  and  a  burn  or  two. 
This  was  not  a  burning  fiery  furnace,  Mr.  Faulkner,  but 
merely  a  bit  of  a  bonfire  from  a  few  sticks  that  had  been  set 
on  fire  in  order  to  throw  a  little  light  on  the  proceedings." 

' '  I  might  have  been  very  seriously  burnt. ' ' 

"Well,  even  supposing  that  you  had  been,  that  is  not  a 
question  of  murder.  I  presume  that  you  framed  this  indict- 
ment you  have  charged  the  prisoner,  not  with  an  intention  of 
committing  grievous  damage  upon  you,  but  with  murder,  and 
if  you  now  admit  that,  under  the  circumstances,  death  could 
hardly  have  resulted  by  any  possibility  from  this  imaginary 
intention  of  throwing  you  on  the  fire  being  carried  out,  it  is 
clear  that  the  charge  of  murder  must  drop  through.  I  have 
no  further  questions  to  ask  you,  though  I  may  have  some  re- 
marks to  make  after  having  heard  your  witnesses." 


48  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

CHAPTER  III 

IN    A    FRESH    SCRAPE 

THE  first  witness  called  by  Mr.  Faulkner  was  Captain 
Downes. 

"  Will  you  tell  us  what  you  know  about  this  affair?  "  the 
chairman  said. 

"  After  having  captured  the  smuggler,  I  took  six  men  and 
went  up  to  see  if  I  could  be  of  any  assistance  to  Mr.  Moorsby, 
and  also  to  hear  whether  he  had  been  as  successful  with  his 
capture  as  I  had.  I  found  that  everything  was  over,  and  that 
a  fire  had  been  lighted.  I  was  talking  to  Mr.  Moorsby  when 
my  attention  was  excited  by  loud  words  between  Mr.  Faulkner 
and  Mr.  Wyatt,  with  whom  I  am  acquainted.  Mr.  Faulkner 
struck  him  in  the  face,  and  there  was  a  scuffle,  the  prisoner 
lifting  the  magistrate,  although  a  much  heavier  man,  com- 
pletely off  his  feet.  In  the  course  of  the  scuffle  they  ap- 
proached the  fire,  and  being  afraid  that  they  might  fall  into 
it,  I  ran  up  with  Mr.  Moorsby  and  some  of  the  men,  and 
pulled  them  away." 

"Did  it  seem  to  you,  Captain  Downes,  that  the  prisoner 
was  carrying  Mr.  Faulkner  straight  to  the  fire?  " 

"He  was  certainly  going  straight  in  that  direction,  but 
whether  intentionally  or  not  I  am  unable  to  say." 

"  Do  you  think  that  if  you  and  your  men  had  not  interfered 
they  would  have  fallen  into  the  fire  ?  ' ' 

"  I  think  they  would  certainly  have  done  so." 

"  Do  you  think  that  the  prisoner  intended  to  throw  Mr. 
Faulkner  into  the  fire  ?  ' ' 

"That  I  cannot  say." 

' '  Have  you  any  questions  to  ask  the  witness,  Mr.  Faulkner  ? ' ' 
the  chairman  asked. 


IN    A    FRESH    SCRAPE  49 

"You  do  not  think  it  likely,  I  suppose,  that  the  prisoner 
could  have  intended  himself  to  tumble  into  the  fire  ?  ' ' 

"  I  should  think  it  very  unlikely." 

Mr.  Faulkner  sat  down,  and  Mr.  Probert  rose. 

"  You  think  it  very  unlikely,  Captain  Downes,  that  Mr. 
Wyatt  would  deliberately  have  walked  into  the  fire,  and  I 
quite  share  your  opinion  ;  but  it  has  not  yet  been  proved  that 
he  was  deliberately  going  towards  the  fire  at  all.  You  say  he 
lifted  Mr.  Faulkner  in  his  arms.  Now  it  seems  to  me  that, 
having  done  so,  he  would  not  be  able  to  see  at  all  which  way 
he  was  going,  as  Mr.  Wyatt's  eyes  would  both  be  on  a  level 
with  Mr.  Faulkner's  chest ;  moreover,  it  must  be  evident  that, 
judging  from  his  present  appearance,  he  could  scarcely  have 
seen  anything  at  all,  after  receiving  such  a  blow.  Does  it  not 
strike  you  as  being  still  more  likely  that,  partially  blinded  as 
he  was,  and  being  unwilling  to  strike  the  magistrate  in  return, 
however  much  the  latter  had  forfeited  all  claim  to  respect,  he 
closed  with  him,  and  in  the  heat  of  passion  lifted  him  up  and 
carried  him  along  at  random  ?  ' ' 

"  I  think  that  very  likely,"  the  lieutenant  replied. 

"  Had  you  yourself  been  struck  as  the  prisoner  was  struck, 
Captain  Downes,  what  course  do  you  think  it  would  have  been 
proper  for  you  to  pursue  ?  ' ' 

"  I  don't  know  what  would  have  been  proper,  but  I  know 
what  I  should  have  done.  Magistrate  or  no  magistrate,  I 
should  have  knocked  my  assailant  down,  or  at  any  rate  I  should 
have  tried  to." 

"  As  a  naval  man,  Captain  Downes,  you  have  had  some  ex- 
perience of  the  conduct  gentlemen  generally  observe  to  their 
prisoners.  I  presume  that  it  is  not  their  custom  to  strike  them, 
even  if  they  did  make  a  somewhat  free  use  of  their  tongues  ?  " 

"  Certainly  not,"  Captain  Downes  said  emphatically. 

"  Would  you  go  so  far  as  to  say  that  you  would  consider  it 
to  be  a  disgraceful  and  cowardly  act  ?  ' ' 


50  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

' '  I  should  so  consider  it. ' ' 

There  was  again  a  murmur  of  applause  in  court,  which  was 
instantly  arrested  when  Mr.  Probert  held  up  his  hand  depre- 
catingly.  "  Thank  you,  Captain  Downes,"  he  went  on. 
"  Now  we  come  to  the  question  of  the  quarrel  that  gave  rise 
to  this  affair.  Mr.  Faulkner  has  not  thought  fit  to  ask  you 
any  questions  about  it.  Were  you  standing  close  enough  to 
hear  what  passed  ?  ' ' 

"  I  was  standing  close  by,  and  both  Mr.  Faulkner  and  the 
prisoner  spoke  loudly  enough  to  be  heard  at  such  a  distance. ' ' 

' '  The  magistrate  first  began  the  conversation  ?  ' ' 
'   "He  did." 

"  He  used  very  strong  language,  did  he  not  ?  " 

' '  Very  strong. ' ' 

"  Did  you  think  that  he  was  justified  in  using  such  strong 
language  ?  ' ' 

"  Certainly  not ;  I  thought  that  it  was  most  improper." 

"  And  do  you  think  that  a  gentleman  accosted  so  improperly 
is  to  be  greatly  blamed  if  he  uses  strong  language  in  return?  " 

"  It  would  no  doubt  have  been  better  if  he  had  held  his 
tongue  at  the  time,  and  have  called  him  to  account  after- 
wards. ' ' 

"Still  the  provocation  was  very  strong,  Captain  Downes, 
and  you  could  not  altogether  blame  him.  ' ' 

"  I  did  not  blame  him  at  all,"  the  witness  said  curtly. 

"And  what  did  you  think  when  Mr.  Faulkner  suddenly 
struck  his  prisoner  in  the  face  ?  ' ' 

"Am  I  to  answer  that  question ?"  the  witness  asked  the 
bench. 

"I  do  not  think  that  it  is  an  improper  question,"  the 
chairman  replied. 

"Very  well,  sir.  Then,  if  I  must  say  it,  I  thought  it  was 
one  of  the  most  blackguardly  and  cowardly  things  I  ever  saw 
done." 


IN    A    FRESH    SCRAPE  51 

'  Thank  you,  Captain  Downes.  I  do  not  think  it  necessary 
to  ask  you  any  further  questions." 

' '  Have  you  any  more  witnesses  to  call,  Mr.  Faulkner  ?  ' ' 
the  chairman  asked  coldly. 

Mr.  Faulkner's  face  was  white  with  rage.  "  I  have  a  dozen 
other  witnesses,"  he  said  hoarsely,  "  but  I  have  no  doubt  they 
will  all  follow  the  lead  their  officer  has  set  them.  I  shall  there- 
fore call  no  more. ' ' 

"  I  do  not  think,  your  worships,"  Mr.  Probert  said,  rising, 
"  that  it  is  necessary  for  me  to  address  you.  I  would  only 
submit  to  you  that  there  is  not  a  shadow  of  evidence  to  support 
the  charge  of  an  attempt  to  murder.  As  to  the  abusive  lan- 
guage, I  cannot  say  that  my  client's  words  were  a  retort  cour- 
teous, but  they  were  only  a  retort  natural,  and  were  simply 
the  consequence  of  the  extraordinary  conduct  of  Mr.  Faulkner, 
acting  at  the  time  in  his  capacity  of  magistrate.  As  to  the 
charge  of  threatening  language,  it  is  altogether  absurd.  My 
client  simply  asserted  what  is  true  by  common  report — that 
Mr.  Faulkner  had  been  threatened,  and  that  it  was  possible 
that  those  threats  might  some  day  or  other  be  carried  into 
effect.  I  have  only,  therefore,  to  leave  the  case  in  the  hands 
of  your  worships. ' ' 

The  two  magistrates  put  their  heads  together  for  a  short 
time.  Then  the  chairman  said:  "  The  bench  is  of  opinion 
that  the  charge  of  attempted  murder  is  altogether  without 
foundation,  and  that  of  abusive  language  and  the  use  of  threats 
should  never  have  been  brought,  seeing  that  they  were  the  re- 
sult of  what  we  cannot  but  consider  the  very  ill-judged  and 
improper  conduct  of  the  plaintiff.  You  are  therefore  dis- 
charged, Mr.  Wyatt ;  but  my  colleague  and  myself  cannot  but 
again  express  a  hope  that  this  and  the  preceding  charge  may 
prove  a  lesson  to  you  to  avoid  taking  part,  even  as  a  spectator, 
in  such  breeches  of  the  law  as  those  which  led  to  this  very 
regrettable  occurrence. ' ' 


52  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

As  the  magistrate  concluded,  a  roar  of  applause  rose  in  the 
court.  In  vain  the  constables  shouted  for  silence.  The  chair- 
man at  once  ordered  the  room  to  be  cleared,  and  at  the  same 
time  motioned  to  Julian  not  to  leave  the  court,  as  he  was  pre- 
paring to  do.  When  the  court  was  cleared,  he  called  Julian 
up  to  him. 

"I  think,  Mr.  Wyatt,"  he  said,  "it  would  be  as  well  for 
you  to  remain  here  for  a  time,  and  then  go  out  by  the  back 
way.  It  would  be  very  unfortunate  if  any  demonstration  took 
place.  Enough  harm  has  been  done  already  ;  do  not  let  us 
make  it  any  worse." 

"  Certainly  not,  sir.  I  am  heartily  sorry  for  what  has  oc- 
curred," and  beckoning  to  Frank,  who  was  still  seated  at  the 
solicitors'  table,  he  retired  with  him  to  a  waiting-room. 

"Thank  goodness,  Julian,  you  have  got  out  of  that 
scrape. ' ' 

"  Thank  goodness,  indeed,  Frank.  I  behaved  like  an 
awful  fool,  but  I  never  dreamt  that  anything  like  this  would 
come  of  it.  I  have  been  to  see  cargoes  run  several  times.  It 
was  very  good  fun.  I  never  helped  in  any  way,  and  had 
always  made  up  my  mind  that  I  would  make  myself  scarce  if 
the  revenue  people  should  turn  up,  but  it  all  happened  so 
suddenly  that  I  was  a  prisoner  before  I  knew  what  was  going 
on.  As  to  the  other  affair,  no  doubt  it  would  have  been 
better  for  me  to  have  said  nothing,  but  of  course  I  knew 
that  he  had  no  right  to  say  what  he  did,  and  I  had  not 
the  least  idea  that  he  would  hit  me ;  when  he  did,  I  went  at 
him  in  a  fury,  and  I  don't  mind  acknowledging  that  I  did 
intend  to  chuck  him  in  the  fire — not  with  any  idea  of  kill- 
ing him,  you  know,  though  I  did  think  he  would  be  burnt  a 
bit." 

"  It  was  lucky  you  sent  for  Probert,  Julian  ;  I  had  never 
thought  of  it." 

"  No  more  did  I,  Frank.      I  was  perfectly  astonished  when 


IN    A    FRESH    GCRAPE  63 

he  got  up  and  said  that  he  appeared  for  me,  but  I  supposed 
that  Aunt  or  you  had  sent  for  him. ' ' 

"  I  am  sure  Aunt  didn't,  or  she  would  have  told  me." 

"I  should  not  be  surprised,  Frank,  if  it  were  Captain 
Downes.  In  the  first  place,  he  was  a  friend  of  Father's,  and 
in  the  next  place,  because  he  is  heartily  sick  of  Faulkner's 
constant  interference  and  the  way  he  goes  on.  I  expect  that 
if  Mr.  Moorsby  had  got  up  he  would  have  said  just  the  same 
things." 

"  I  will  leave  you  here  for  a  few  minutes,  Julian.  I  must 
run  round  and  tell  Aunt ;  she  is  in  a  fearful  stew  about 
you." 

Frank  ran  out  at  the  main  entrance.  A  number  of 
fishermen  were  hanging  about  outside.  Bill  came  up  to 
him  : 

"  Isn't  Mr.  Julian  coming  out,  Master  Frank?  " 

"Not  at  present.  The  magistrates  don't  want  any  fuss 
in  the  streets,  no  more  does  my  brother,  and  he  will  stay 
there  till  every  one  has  cleared  off,  so  the  best  thing  you  can 
do,  Bill,  is  to  persuade  the  others  to  go  off  home.  Julian 
knows  well  enough  that  you  are  all  pleased  that  he  has  got 
off,  but  you  see  if  there  were  a  fuss  got  up  about  it  in  the 
streets  it  would  do  him  harm  and  not  good." 

"  All  right,  sir,  I  will  get  them  off.  They  just  wanted  to 
give  him  a  cheer." 

"  Well,  they  did  that  in  Court,  Bill,  and  you  know  that  he 
appreciates  their  good  intentions.  Well,  I  must  be  off." 

Mrs.  Troutbeck  was  still  on  the  watch.  However,  she  did 
not  come  to  the  door.  Frank  opened  it,  and  ran  into  the 
parlour.  His  Aunt  had  dropped  into  a  chair,  with  her  hand- 
kerchief to  her  eyes. 

"  So  he  has  not  come  back  with  you,  Frank.  It  is  dread- 
ful. What  are  they  going  to  do  with  him  ?  " 

"  They  are  not  going  to  do  anything,  Aunt.     He  has  been 


54  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

acquitted.  Only  he  did  not  come  home  with  me  because 
there  are  a  lot  of  sailors  waiting  outside  to  cheer  him,  and 
the  magistrates  did  not  want  a  row  over  him,  nor  did  Julian 
either.  I  have  just  run  home  to  tell  you  that  it  is  all  right, 
and  now  I  am  going  back  for  him.  I  expect  by  the  time  I 
get  there  they  will  all  have  gone,  and  we  may  be  home  in  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  so  I  think,  Aunt,  the  best  thing  you  can 
do  is  to  get  tea  ready,  for  I  don't  expect  he  has  had  much  to 
eat  there,  or  any  appetite  to  eat  it." 

It  was  good  advice,  for  Mrs.  Troutbeck  was  on  the  point 
of  going  into  hysterics  from  joy  and  relief.  However,  the 
thought  of  the  necessity  for  getting  a  good  meal  to  welcome 
Julian  on  his  arrival  turned  her  thoughts  into  another  channel, 
and,  wiping  her  eyes  hastily,  she  rose  and  gave  directions, 
while  Frank  started  again  for  the  court-house.  The  fishermen 
had  left,  but  there  were  still  a  number  of  boys  about  the  place. 
The  private  entrance  was,  however,  free  from  observers,  and 
the  brothers  started  at  once,  keeping  to  the  back  streets  until 
they  neared  the  house. 

"  My  dear  Julian,"  Mrs.  Troutbeck  exclaimed  as  she  threw 
her  arms  round  his  neck,  "  what  a  relief  it  is  to  have  you  back 
again.  It  has  been  terrible  for  you." 

"  It  hasn't  been  very  pleasant,  Aunt,"  he  replied  cheerfully, 
"  but  it  is  all  right  now,  and  certainly  I  ought  not  to  grumble. 
I  have  had  better  luck  than  I  deserved.  I  was  a  fool  to  go 
there,  but  I  did  not  think  that  there  was  any  real  chance  of 
the  revenue  people  coming  down  upon  us.  It  was  thought 
they  had  been  thrown  off  the  scent  altogether. ' ' 

"  What  a  dreadful  face  you  have  got,  Julian  !  " 

"  Oh,  that  is  nothing,  Aunt ;  it  will  go  off  in  a  few  days, 
and  until  it  has  I  must  either  stay  indoors  or  keep  out  of  the 
town  altogether." 

"  I  am  afraid  tea  won't  be  ready  for  a  few  minutes,  Julian. 
You  see  I  have  had  such  a  very  short  notice." 


IN    A    FRESH    SCRAPE  55 

"  I  can  hold  on  comfortably,  Aunt;  besides,  I  have  got  to 
have  a  change  and  a  wash.  That  is  of  more  importance  than 
tea  just  at  present." 

After  the  meal  was  over,  Frank  gave  the  details  of  the  ex- 
amination, the  narrative  being  very  frequently  stopped  by 
exclamations  and  questions  on  the  part  of  Mrs.  Troutbeck. 

"  I  have  never  heard  of  such  a  wicked  thing.  The  idea  of 
that  man  charging  you  with  attempting  to  murder  him  !  Julian, 
he  ought  to  be  punished  for  it." 

"  I  fancy  he  has  been  punished,  Aunt.  I  don't  see  how  he 
is  to  keep  his  commission  as  a  justice  after  what  was  said  in 
court.  Still,  it  is  a  bad  thing  for  me.  I  was  discharged,  but 
it  will  always  be  against  me.  If  I  ever  get  into  any  sort  of 
trouble  again,  people  will  say  :  '  Ah,  yes ;  he  was  charged 
with  attempting  murder  when  he  was  a  young  fellow,  and  al- 
though he  was  lucky  enough  to  get  off  then,  there  must  have 
been  something  in  it.  He  is  evidently  a  man  of  ungovernable 
temper.'  ' 

"  But,  my  dear  Julian,  everyone  knows  that  you  have  a 
very  sweet  temper. ' ' 

' '  I  was  not  in  a  sweet  temper  then  at  any  rate,  Aunt. ' ' 

"  Of  course  not,  Julian.  I  should  not  have  been  so  my' 
self  if  anyone  had  hit  me  such  a  terrible  blow  as  that  in  the 
face." 

Her  nephews  both  laughed,  for  they  had  never  seen  her 
ruffled  out  of  her  usual  serenity. 

"  Well,  Aunt,  don't  let  us  talk  any  more  about  it,"  Julian 
said.  "  I  would  give  a  good  deal  if  it  hadn't  happened.  As 
it  is,  one  must  make  the  best  of  it,  and  I  hope  that  it  will  be 
forgotten  in  time.  I  wish  now  that  I  had  gone  into  the  army, 
but  it  is  too  late  for  that.  I  shall  think  over  what  I  had  best 
take  to.  I  should  certainly  like  to  get  away  from  here  until  it 
has  blown  over  altogether." 

On  the  following  morning  Frank  met  Captain  Downes,  and 


56  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

learned  that  he  was  right  in  his  conjecture,  and  that  it  was  he 
who  had  retained  Mr.  Probert's  services  in  Julian's  behalf  be- 
fore the  magistrates. ' 

For  the  next  few  days  Julian  kept  in  the  house,  except  that 
after  nightfall  he  went  out  for  a  long  walk.  The  report  of  the 
proceedings  in  the  court  had  caused  a  great  sensation  in  Wey- 
mouth,  and  the  feeling  was  so  strong  against  Mr.  Faulkner 
that  he  was  hooted  in  the  streets  when  he  rode  into  the  town. 
The  general  expectation  was  that  he  would  resign  his  position 
on  the  bench ;  and  when  at  the  end  of  a  week  he  did  not  do 
so,  a  private  meeting  of  the  other  magistrates  was  held,  and  it 
was  whispered  in  the  town  that  a  report  of  the  proceedings  at 
the  court  had  been  sent  to  the  Home  Secretary,  with  an  ex- 
pression of  opinion  that  Mr.  Faulkner's  brother  magistrates 
felt  that  they  could  not  sit  again  with  him  on  the  bench  after 
what  had  taken  place. 

Ten  days  after  the  affair  Julian  started  early  one  morning 
for  a  day's  rabbit-shooting  at  the  house  of  a  friend  who  lived 
some  six  miles  up  the  valley.  Some  snow  fell  in  the  course  of 
the  afternoon  and  put  a  stop  to  shooting,  and  he  started  to 
walk  home.  When  he  was  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  Mr. 
Faulkner's  place  he  heard  a  horse  coming  along  behind  him. 
The  snow  that  had  fallen  had  deadened  the  sound  of  the  hoofs 
on  the  road,  and,  looking  round,  he  saw  Mr.  Faulkner  riding 
fast,  at  a  distance  of  but  fifty  yards  away.  Had  he  caught 
sight  of  him  sooner  Julian  would  have  left  the  road  and  en- 
tered the  wood  to  avoid  him,  but  it  was  too  late  now,  and  he 
hoped  that  at  any  rate  the  man  would  pass  on  without  speak- 
ing. The  horseman  had  apparently  not  recognized  Julian 
until  he  came  abreast  of  him,  when,  with  a  sudden  exclama- 
tion, he  reined  in  his  horse. 

"So  it  is  you,  Julian  Wyatt?"  he  said,  in  a  tone  of  sup- 
pressed fury. 

"It  is  I,  Mr.  Faulkner,"  Julian  replied  quietly;   "  and  as 


"MARK    MY   WORDS,   YOU   YOUNG   SCOUNDREL,    I   WILL  BE   EVEN   WITH 
YOU   YET." 


IN    A    FRESH    SCRAPE  57 

I  don't  want  to  have  anything  to  say  to  you,  I  think  that  you 
had  better  go  on  your  way  without  interfering  with  me." 

"  Mark  my  words,  you  young  scoundrel,  I  will  be  even 
with  you  yet." 

"  The  debt  is  not  all  on  your  side,  Mr.  Faulkner.  I,  too, 
have  got  a  debt  to  pay ;  and  perhaps  some  day  we  may  square 
matters  up,  when  you  have  not  got  a  score  of  coast-guardsmen 
at  your  back.  However,  I  am  content  to  leave  matters  as 
they  are  so  long  as  you  do  the  same.  As  to  your  owing  a 
debt  to  me,  it  is  yourself  you  have  to  thank  for  the  trouble 
you  have  got  into ;  it  was  no  doing  of  mine.  However,  I 
warn  you  that  you  had  better  abstain  from  insulting  me  again. 
I  did  not  strike  you  back  when  you  hit  me  last  time,  but  if 
you  call  me  scoundrel  again  you  shall  see  that  I  can  hit  as 
hard  as  you  can,  and  I  will  teach  you  to  keep  a  civil  tongue 
in  your  head." 

"  You  mark  my  words,"  Mr.  Faulkner  repeated.  "  I  will 
have  you  watched,  and  I  will  hunt  you  down,  and  if  I  am  not 
mistaken  I  will  put  a  rope  round  your  neck  one  of  these 
days."  So  saying,  he  struck  spurs  into  his  horse  and  gal- 
loped on. 

Julian  stood  looking  after  him  until  he  saw  him  turn  in  at 
his  gate.  The  drive  to  the  house  led,  as  he  knew,  diagonally 
through  the  wood,  and  as  he  walked  forward  he  heard  the 
horse's  galloping  hoofs  grow  louder  and  louder.  Suddenly 
there  was  the  report  of  a  gun  some  seventy  or  eighty  yards 
away.  It  was  mingled  with  that  of  a  sudden  cry,  and  Julian 
heard  the  horse  galloping  on  even  faster  than  before.  With 
an  exclamation  of  "  Good  heavens  !  something  has  hap- 
pened !  "  he  broke  through  the  hedge  and  ran  in  the  direction 
of  the  sound.  As  he  approached  it  he  thought  that  he  caught 
sight  of  a  man  running  through  the  trees,  but  he  kept  straight 
on  until  he  came  upon  the  drive.  Twenty  yards  away  Mr. 
Faulkner  lay  stretched  on  the  ground.  He  went  up  to  him, 


68  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

and  stooped  over  him.  His  eyes  were  closed,  and  as  he  lay 
on  his  back  Julian  saw  blood  oozing  through  a  bullet-hole  in 
his  coat  high  up  on  the  left  side  of  the  chest. 

Feeling  sure  that  Mr.  Faulkner  was  dead  he  started  up,  and 
without  a  moment's  hesitation  ran  into  the  wood  again,  in 
the  direction  where  he  had  thought  that  he  had  seen  a  figure. 
A  minute  later  he  came  upon  some  footprints  on  a  bare  spot 
between  the  trees,  where  the  snow  had  fallen  lightly.  Noting 
the  direction  they  took,  he  followed  at  once.  He  saw  no 
more  signs  of  footprints,  but  followed  the  direction  as  nearly 
as  he  could  until  he  came  to  the  farthest  side  of  the  wood  ; 
then  he  leaped  out  into  the  field  beyond,  and  followed  the  edge 
of  the  wood  until  he  again  reached  the  road.  He  then  turned 
and  went  back  again,  and  fifty  yards  from  the  point  where  he 
had  first  run  out  he  came  upon  the  footprints  again. 

"  He  was  going  to  take  to  the  hills,  he  muttered,"  as  he  set 
off  along  the  track.  He  ran  at  a  trot,  and  as  he  went, 
loaded  both  barrels  of  his  gun.  "  Very  likely  the  villain 
will  show  fight,"  he  said  to  himself;  "  I  must  take  him  by 
surprise  if  I  can." 

After  a  quarter  of  a  mile's  run  he  reached  the  foot  of  the 
hill,  and  near  its  crest,  three-quarters  of  a  mile  away,  caught 
sight  of  the  figure  of  a  man.  A  moment  later  he  had  passed 
over  the  crest.  Julian  started  at  full  speed  up  the  hill.  There 
was  no  need  to  follow  the  footprints  now  ;  indeed  the  strong 
wind  that  was  blowing  had  swept  the  snow  into  the  hollows, 
and  the  face  of  the  hill  was  bare.  When  he  reached  the  top 
of  the  hill  he  had  decreased  his  distance  considerably.  He 
saw  to  his  surprise  that  the  man  was  bearing  to  the  right,  a 
course  that  would  ere  long  bring  him  to  the  edge  of  the  cliff. 
The  run  up  the  hill  had  left  him  breathless,  and  for  some 
time  the  man,  who  was  also  running,  fully  maintained  his 
lead.  Then  Julian  began  to  gain  upon  him.  The  man  had 
again  changed  his  course,  and  was  now  going  parallel  with 


IN    A    FRESH    SCRAPE  69 

the  line  of  cliffs.  Three  miles  from  the  point  where  he  had 
reached  the  top  Julian  was  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  him. 
He  would  have  caught  him  before  this,  had  he  not  been 
obliged  at  times  to  make  detours  so  as  to  avoid  passing  high 
ground,  where  the  man,  if  he  looked  back,  would  have  per- 
ceived him.  By  this  time  he  was  almost  sure  that  the  fugitive 
was  a  poacher,  who  had  been  recently  released  from  a  term  of 
two  years  in  prison  for  poaching  in  Mr.  Faulkner's  preserves. 
At  last  he  saw  him  turn  sharp  to  the  right  again.  "  Where 
on  earth  is  he  going  ?  "  Julian  said  to  himself.  "  The  cliffs 
are  not  many  hundred  yards  away." 

Hitherto  he  had  supposed  that  the  man  was  keeping  away 
from  the  cliff  to  avoid  meeting  any  of  the  coast-guards  who 
would  be  on  duty  there,  but  this  change  of  direction  puzzled 
him  completely.  Keeping  his  eye  on  the  poacher,  he  saw 
him  enter  a  small  clump  of  bushes,  from  which  he  did  not 
emerge.  Julian  at  once  slackened  his  pace  down  to  a  walk. 
It  was  likely  enough  that  the  man  had  noticed  that  he  was 
being  pursued,  and  had  determined  to  rid  himself  of  the  pur- 
suer. It  was  not  a  pleasant  idea,  that  the  fellow  might  now 
be  kneeling  among  the  bushes  with  his  gun  at  his  shoulder. 

"  It  could  hardly  be  that  either,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  for 
if  he  intended  to  shoot  me  he  would  have  turned  the  other 
way  ;  for  the  sound  of  his  gun  would  be  probably  heard  by 
some  of  the  coast-guard,  and  they  could  not  fail  to  see  him 
running  away.  At  any  rate,"  he  muttered,  "  I  am  not  go- 
ing to  turn  back  after  such  a  chase  as  I  have  had." 

Standing  still  and  looking  at  the  spot,  he  saw  that  the  clump 
of  bushes  grew  in  a  slight  hollow,  and  that  by  turning  to  the 
right  he  would  be  able  to  approach  within  twenty  or  thirty  yards 
of  it  without  exposing  himself  to  view.  This  he  did,  and  in  a 
short  time  lost  sight  of  the  bushes.  Moving  with  great  cau- 
tion, he  made  his  way  towards  them,  and  when  he  approached 
the  slope  into  the  hollow,  lay  down  and  crawled  along,  keep- 


60  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

ing  his  gun  in  front  of  him.  As  he  neared  the  spot  he  lay 
down  on  his  stomach  in  the  short  turf  and  wound  himself  along 
until  he  could  see  down  into  the  bushes.  With  his  gun  at  his 
shoulder,  and  his  finger  on  the  trigger,  he  gazed  down  into 
the  hollow.  To  his  surprise  he  could  see  no  signs  of  the  fugi- 
tive. The  leafless  boughs  afforded  but  slight  shelter,  and  after 
gazing  fixedly  at  them  for  two  or  three  minutes,  he  became 
convinced  that  the  man  was  no  longer  there.  As  soon  as  he 
came  to  this  conclusion  he  stood  up  and  looked  over  the  sur- 
rounding country.  It  was  bleak  and  bare,  and  entirely  desti- 
tute of  hedges  or  any  other  shelter. 

It  was  but  for  five  or  six  minutes  at  the  utmost  that  he  had 
lost  sight  of  the  bushes,  and  in  that  time  the  man  could  not 
have  got  far.  "Where  on  earth  has  he  hidden  himself ?" 
Julian  muttered. 

He  went  down  to  the  clump  of  bushes,  still  holding  his  gun 
in  readiness  for  instant  use.  The  patch  was  but  some  thirty 
feet  long  by  half  as  wide.  He  walked  backwards  and  for- 
wards among  the  low  bushes,  but  the  fugitive  was  certainly 
not  there.  Going  to  the  end  of  the  patch  he  could  see  plainly 
enough  the  track  where  the  man  had  entered,  for  although 
there  was  little  snow  on  the  top  of  the  ground  it  lay  among  the 
tufts  of  grass.  He  walked  round  the  clump,  but  there  were 
no  signs  of  any  footsteps  leaving  it.  "  This  is  the  rummest 
thing  I  ever  saw,"  he  muttered ;  "  the  fellow  can't  have  flown 
away ;  yet,  he  certainly  has  not  walked  off. ' ' 

Thinking  it  over,  an  idea  suddenly  occurred  to  him.  When 
sailing  along  the  coast  with  Bill,  the  latter  had  one  day  pointed 
out  to  him  a  hole  in  the  cliff  some  twenty  feet  above  high- 
water  mark.  "  Do  you  see  that  hole,  Mr.  Julian  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  see  it  plain  enough.     What  of  it  ?  " 

"  Well,  sir,  if  I  owned  all  the  goods  that  have  been  taken 
into  that  hole  on  dark  still  nights  I  should  be  a  rich  man." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  they  run  cargoes  there,  Bill  ?  " 


IN    A    FRESH    SCRAPE  61 

' '  Not  kegs — they  are  too  heavy  and  too  awkward  to  get 
away — but  laces,  and  silks,  and  such  like.  Many  a  lugger 
when  she  comes  from  abroad  lands  all  them  sorts  of  things 
here,  and  then  sails  away  and  takes  her  chance  of  running 
the  rest  of  the  cargo  somewhere  else. ' ' 

"But  how  can  anyone  get  up  there?  I  see  nothing  like 
a  path." 

"  There  ain't  no  path,  sir.  The  revenue  men  would  have 
found  it  out  long  ago  if  there  had  been.  The  boat  comes 
along,  as  I  said,  of  a  dark  night,  when  there  is  no  swell  on, 
and  the  chaps  inside  show  a  tiny  light  to  guide  them  to 
the  spot.  When  the  boat  comes,  they  lower  a  rope  down  and 
haul  the  bales  up ;  and  then  the  boat  goes  back  to  the  lugger, 
and  she  tips  sail,  and  no  one  is  the  wiser." 

"  But  what  do  they  do  with  the  stuff?  I  don't  mean,  where 
do  they  stow  it,  but  how  do  they  get  it  away  ?  ' ' 

"  There  is  a  passage  somewhere,"  Bill  replied.  "  I  don't 
know  where  it  goes  out.  I  reckon  there  ain't  half  a  dozen 
men  in  Weymouth  who  do  know.  I  should  say,  except  the 
men  whose  business  it  is  to  take  the  goods  inland  and  for- 
ward them  to  London,  there  is  only  one  chap  who  is  in  the 
secret ;  and  he  is  not  in  Weymouth  now — he  is  in  jail.  That 
is  Joe  Markham.  He  is  in  for  poaching.  But  for  a  good 
many  years  he  sailed  in  one  of  those  French  luggers.  Then, 
as  I  have  heard,  he  was  keeper  of  the  cave  for  a  bit ;  but  he 
had  to  give  it  up — he  was  too  well  known  to  the  coast-guard, 
and  they  kept  too  sharp  an  eye  on  him  for  him  to  venture  to 
go  out.  He  had  had  enough  of  the  sea,  and  no  doubt  he  had 
got  some  money  laid  by  ;  anyhow,  he  took  a  cottage  by  the 
river,  and  took  to  poaching,  more  for  devilment,  I  should  say, 
than  because  he  wanted  the  money.  I  expect  he  was  well 
paid  by  the  smugglers,  for  he  used  to  get  up  half  the  stories 
to  put  them  off  the  scent,  and  never  missed  being  present 
when  a  run  was  made. " 


62  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

This  conversation  came  back  to  Julian's  memory,  as  he 
stood  by  the  clump  of  bushes  wondering  what  had  become 
of  the  man  that  he  had  pursued,  and  it  flashed  upon  him 
that  the  spot  where  he  was  standing  could  not  be  far  from  the 
smugglers'  cavern,  and  that  the  entrance  to  this  might  very 
well  be  among  these  bushes.  The  man  knew  where  that  en- 
trance was,  and  nothing  was  more  likely  than  that  he  should 
make  for  it  as  a  place  of  concealment  until  an  opportunity 
occurred  to  get  on  board  a  lugger  and  cross  the  channel.  It 
was  a  very  likely  place ;  men  could  come  and  go  at  night 
without  risk  of  being  seen  or  heard  by  any  of  the  coast -guards- 
men on  the  cliff,  and  would  not  be  likely  to  encounter  anyone 
within  two  or  three  miles  of  it.  Years  might  pass  without 
anyone  happening  to  enter  the  bushes. 

Laying  down  his  gun,  Julian  began  to  search  in  earnest.  It 
was  half  an  hour  before,  feeling  about  in  the  coarse  grass,  he 
came  upon  a  handle.  He  pulled  at  it,  gently  at  first,  then  as 
it  did  not  yield,  he  exerted  his  strength,  and  it  gave  way, 
and  a  section  of  the  rough  herbage  rose,  while  three  feet 
away  it  sank  in  the  same  proportion.  Raising  it  higher,  he 
saw  that  the  trap-door — for  such  it  was — was  two  feet  wide 
by  about  five  feet  long  and  eighteen  inches  deep;  it  was, 
in  fact,  a  deep  tray  pivoted  on  the  centre  and  filled  with 
earth,  on  which  grass  grew  as  freely  as  in  the  ground  ad- 
joining. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  trap  was  overhung  by  bushes, 
which  grew  so  thickly  around  the  part  which  sank  that  the 
probability  was  small  indeed  that  anyone  would  tread  upon 
it.  Julian  saw,  too,  that  under  the  handle  was  a  bolt  that, 
when  fastened,  would  hold  the  trap  firmly  down.  No  doubt 
the  man  in  his  haste  had  forgotten  to  fasten  it  before  he 
descended.  Looking  down,  Julian  saw  a  circular  hole  like  a 
well,  evidently  artificially  made  in  the  chalk  ;  a  ladder  was 
fastened  against  one  side. 


IN    A    FRESH    SCRAPE  63 

Julian  hesitated.  Should  he  return  to  Weymouth,  inform 
the  authorities  that  he  had  traced  the  murderer  of  Mr.  Faulk- 
ner to  a  place  of  concealment,  and  bring  them  there  to  arrest 
him,  or  should  he  go  down  and  encounter  him  single-handed? 
Although  of  a  fearless  disposition,  he  would  have  decided  on 
the  more  prudent  course  had  it  not  been  that  to  have  done  so, 
would  have  let  the  authorities  into  the  knowledge  of  the 
smugglers'  cave.  Although  he  had  determined  to  have 
nothing  more  to  do  with  them,  this  he  felt  would  be  an  act  of 
treachery,  for  it  was  only  because  he  had  been  believed  by 
Bill  to  be  absolutely  trustworthy,  that  the  latter  had  told  him 
of  the  existence  of  this  cavern  and  of  the  secret  exit,  and 
without  that  information  he  would  never  have  searched  for 
and  discovered  the  trap-door.  Then,  too,  the  thought  that  the 
credit  he  would  gain  by  the  capture  of  the  murderer  single- 
handed  would  go  far  to  efface  the  memory  of  the  disgrace  that 
had  befallen  him,  helped  to  decide  him. 

He  fetched  his  gun  and  slung  it  over  his  shoulder,  got  upon 
the  ladder,  and  pulled  the  trap-door  down  behind  him.  As 
he  did  so  he  found  that  it  moved  easily,  and  that  he  could 
push  it  up  again  without  any  difficulty,  and  feeling  the  bolt, 
discovered  that  it  had  been  partially  shot,  but  not  sufficiently 
to  catch  fairly,  although  containing  so  far  a  hold  of  the  frame, 
that  it  had  torn  a  groove  in  the  somewhat  rotten  wood  with 
the  force  that  he  had  used  to  raise  it.  He  went  down  the 
ladder  very  cautiously,  until,  after  descending  for  some  thirty 
steps,  his  foot  encountered  solid  ground.  After  a  moment's 
consideration  he  knelt  down  and  proceeded  on  his  hands  and 
knees.  Almost  immediately  he  felt  the  ground  slope  away  in 
front  of  him.  He  got  on  to  his  feet  again.  Holding  out  his 
arms  he  found  that  the  passage  was  about  four  feet  wide,  and 
he  began  to  descend  with  extreme  care,  feeling  his  way  along 
both  walls.  He  had  gone,  he  thought,  about  fifty  yards  when 
the  passage  made  a  sharp  turn,  still  descending,  and  at  a  con- 


64  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

siderable  distance  ahead  the  light  streamed  in  through  a  rugged 
hole.  He  walked  more  confidently  now,  and  soon  the  light 
was  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  see  the  path  he  was  following. 

On  arriving  at  the  aperture,  he  saw  that,  as  he  expected,  he 
was  looking  over  the  sea.  On  one  side  of  the  hole  there  was 
a  shelf  cut  in  the  chalk.  This  was  stained  as  if  by  oil,  and 
he  guessed  at  once  that  it  was  a  look-out  and  a  spot  for  sig- 
nalling a  craft  in  the  offing.  The  path  here  turned  again  and 
ran  parallel  with  the  face  of  the  cliff.  There  was  no  occasion 
to  exercise  care  in  walking  now,  as  here  and  there  the  light 
streamed  in  through  openings  a  few  inches  long.  He  now 
unslung  his  gun,  stooped  and  took  off  his  boots,  and  then 
proceeded  noiselessly.  The  descent  was  considerable,  and  in 
some  places  steps  had  been  cut.  At  last  he  arrived  at  a  door. 
It  was  roughly  but  very  solidly  made,  and  would  doubtless 
sustain  an  attack  for  some  time  before  it  yielded,  and  so  would 
give  time  to  the  occupants,  in  case  the  trap-door  was  discov- 
ered, to  make  their  escape  by  the  lower  entrance  on  to  the  beach. 
There  was  a  latch  to  it.  Lifting  this  quietly,  he  found  the 
door  yielded,  and,  holding  his  gun  in  his  right  hand  ready  to 
cover  the  fugitive  the  moment  he  entered,  Julian  threw  the 
door  wide  open  and  sprang  forward. 

He  had  not  calculated  on  a  further  descent,  but  the  floor 
of  the  cave  was  five  feet  below  him,  and  he  fell  heavily  upon 
it,  the  gun  going  off  as  it  struck  the  floor.  Instantaneous  as 
the  fall  had  been,  his  eyes  had  taken  in  the  scene.  Several 
lanterns  faintly  lit  up  the  cave  ;  while  in  the  centre  a  table, 
at  which  several  figures  were  sitting,  was  illuminated  by  three 
or  four  candles.  He  was  partly  stunned  by  the  heaviness  of 
his  fall,  but  vaguely  heard  shouts  of  surprise  and  alarm,  and 
was,  a  minute  later,  roughly  seized  and  dragged  along.  Then 
he  felt  that  he  was  being  tightly  bound.  For  some  minutes 
he  was  left  to  himself,  but  he  could  see  three  men  with  guns 
in  their  hands  standing  near  the  door  by  which  he  had  en- 


JULIAN   FINDS    HIMSELF   A   PRISONER   AMONG   THE   SMUGGLERS. 


IN    A    FRESH    SCRAPE  65 

tered,  listening  attentively.  Presently  he  heard  steps  coming 
down  the  passage  and  two  other  men  came  through  the  door, 
shut  and  bolted  it  carefully,  and  then  came  down  the  steps 
into  the  cabin. 

They  spoke  to  their  comrades  as  they  came  in,  and  the  news 
was  evidently  satisfactory,  for  the  men  leaned  their  guns 
against  the  wall  and  came  to  the  table.  There  was  some  talk 
for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  Julian  was  raised  and  placed  in  a 
sitting  position  on  the  head  of  a  cask  by  the  table.  One  of 
the  men  then  addressed  him  in  French.  Julian,  who  by  this 
time  had  recovered  from  the  effects  of  his  fall,  shook  his  head. 
The  other  then  spoke  to  the  poacher,  who  had  seated  himself 
opposite  Julian,  and  the  latter  then  said  : 

"  You  are  the  young  fellow  who  was  tried  in  court  three 
weeks  ago,  are  you  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  am." 

"  I  thought  so  ;  I  was  there.  It  was  the  very  day  I  got  to 
Weymouth.  Well,  what  the  deuce  are  you  doing  here  ?  You 
are  the  chap  who  has  followed  me  all  the  way  up  the  hill  ?  " 

Julian  nodded. 

"  What  did  you  follow  me  for  ?  " 

"Because  I  was  in  the  road  when  you  shot  Faulkner.  I 
heard  the  gun,  and  ran  in  and  found  him  dead.  I  caught 
sight  of  you  in  the  wood,  and  went  in  chase  of  you. " 

"  What  did  you  intend  to  do,  you  young  fool?  " 

"  I  intended  to  capture  you,"  Julian  said  fearlessly. 

"  What  for  ?  I  have  done  you  a  good  service  as  well  as  my- 
self. You  had  no  reason  to  bear  him  any  good-will,  and  some 
of  the  men  who  were  there  told  me  that  though  Dow nes  got  you 
off,  it  was  true  that  you  were  going  to  throw  Faulkner  into  the 
fire." 

"  So  I  was  ;  but  he  had  just  struck  me  and  I  was  in  a  furious 
passion  ;  but  that  was  a  different  thing  altogether  to  shooting 
a  man  in  cold  blood." 


66  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"He  got  me  two  years'  imprisonment,"  the  man  said, 
"  which  to  my  mind  was  a  good  reason  for  shooting  him  when 
I  got  the  chance ;  and  another  thing  was  he  would  never  leave 
us  alone,  but  was  always  on  our  heels.  There  are  two  or  three 
men  in  prison  now  tha^  he  got  sent  there,  and  eight  more  are 
waiting  their  trial.  He  made  war  on.  us,  and  I  have  turned 
the  tables  on  him. 

' '  I  heard  that  you  had  been  at  several  of  the  runs,  and  of 
course  you  are  in  with  some  of  our  fellows.  How  did  you  get 
to  know  about  the  entrance  to  this  place  ?  " 

"  I  only  knew  that  there  was  a  cave  here,  that  it  was  used  by 
the  smugglers,  and  that  it  had  an  entrance  somewhere.  The  man 
who  told  me  knew  well  that  I  was  to  be  trusted,  but  it  was  only 
because  you  disappeared  among  those  bushes,  and  that  there 
were  no  footprints  to  show  that  you  had  left  them,  that  it 
appeared  to  me  that  the  passage  might  be  there,  and  so  I  looked 
about  until  I  found  the  handle  to  the  trap-door." 

"  Why  didn't  you  go  and  call  the  coast-guard?  There  was 
a  station  not  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away." 

"  Because  I  could  not  have  done  that  without  betraying  the 
secret  of  the  cavern.  I  found  the  entrance  myself,  but  I  should 
never  have  done  so,  if  I  had  not  been  told  about  the  cave  and 
the  secret  passage,  and  I  felt  that  it  would  be  an  act  of  treach- 
ery to  betray  it." 

"  And  you  were  really  fool  enough  to  think  that  if  you  capt- 
ured me  single-handed  I  should  walk  with  you  like  a  lamb  to 
the  gallows  ?  ' ' 

"  I  didn't  intend  to  give  you  a  chance  of  making  a  fight. 
I  intended  to  rush  straight  in  and  covered  you  with  my  gun." 

"Well,  you  have  plenty  of  pluck,  young  fellow,  if  you 
haven't  much  wisdom;  but  if  you  think  that  after  getting  in 
here,  I  shall  let  you  go  out  again  to  bring  the  constables  down 
on  me  you  are  mistaken  altogether." 


THE  SMUGGLER'S  CAVE  67 

CHAPTER  IV 

tHE  SMUGGLER'S  CAVE 

JOE  MARK.HAM  had,  as  soon  as  he  arrived,  told  the 
French  smugglers  that  he  had  shot  the  magistrate  who  had 
for  the  last  five  or  six  years  given  them  so  much  trouble  and 
caused  them  so  much  loss,  and  who  had",  as  the  last  affair 
showed,  become  more  dangerous  than  ever,  as  he  could  only 
have  obtained  information  as  to  the  exact  point  of  landing  by 
having  bribed  someone  connected  with  them. 

"  It  was  a  case  of  his  life  or  our  business,"  he  said.  "  If 
he  had  not  been  got  out  of  the  way  we  must  have  given  up 
the  trade  altogether  on  this  part  of  the  coast ;  besides,  he  has 
been  the  cause,  not  only  of  several  seizures  of  cargoes,  but  of 
the  death  of  eight  or  ten  of  our  comrades  and  of  the  im- 
prisonment of  many  others.  Now  that  he  is  out  of  the  way 
we  shall  find  things  a  great  deal  easier." 

"  It  served  him  right,"  the  leader  of  the  party  said,  "and 
you  have  rendered  good  service ;  but  what  are  you  going  to 
do  ?  Do  you  think  that  any  suspicion  will  fall  upon  you  ?  " 

"Yes;  I  have  put  myself  in  an  awkward  position,  I  am 
afraid.  I  thought  that  the  job  had  been  so  well  managed  that 
it  could  never  be  traced  to  me,  but  when  I  got  up  to  the  top 
of  the  hill  I  saw  a  fellow  just  starting  from  the  bottom.  I  did 
not  think  much  of  it  at  the  time,  but  he  came  up  so  quickly 
after  me  that  he  must  have  run  all  the  way  up.  He  has  chased 
me  hard,  and  as  he  got  nearer  I  could  see  that  he  had  a  gun 
too.  He  was  not  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away  when  I 
got  to  the  trap-door." 

"Why  didn't  you  hide  yourself  in  the  bushes  and  put  a 
bullet  into  him,  Markham  ?  " 

"For  several  reasons.     In  the  first  place,  the  gun   might 


68  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

have  been  heard  by  some  of  those  cussed  revenue  men.  Then 
there  would  be  an  inquiry  and  a  search.  They  would  have 
seen  by  the  direction  he  had  been  going,  that  lie  must  have 
been  shot  from  the  bushes,  and  as  no  one  would  have  been  in 
sight  when  they  ran  up,  the  thing  would  have  been  such  a 
puzzle  to  them  that  you  may  be  sure  they  would  have  sus- 
pected there  must  be  some  hidden  way  out  of  the  clump. 
Besides,  they  would  probably  have  hunted  every  inch  of  the 
ground  to  see  if  they  could  find  anything  that  would  give 
them  a  clue  as  to  who  had  fired  the  shot.  That  is  one 
reason." 

"  And  quite  good  enough  without  any  others,"  the  french- 
man said. 

"  Well,  there  was  another  one  that  went  for  almost  as  much 
with  me.  I  shot  down  Faulkner  because  he  was  a  curse  to 
us  all.  He  had  imprisoned  several  of  my  pals,  and  done  a 
lot  of  damage  to  the  trade,  and  was  likely  to  break  it  up 
altogether,  besides  which  I  had  a  big  grudge  against  him  on 
my  own  account.  But  I  should  not  have  liked  to  shoot  down 
this  fellow  in  cold  blood.  I  had  no  feeling  against  him  ;  he 
has  done  me  no  harm  ;  I  did  not  even  know  who  he  was.  If 
he  had  overtaken  me  in  the  open,  you  may  be  sure  that  I 
should  have  made  a  fight  of  it,  for  it  would  have  been  my  life 
against  his.  I  don't  pretend  to  be  soft  ;  there  is  little  enough 
of  that  about  me,  and  I  have  fought  hard  several  times  in  the 
old  days  when  we  were  surprised ;  but  I  could  not  have  shot 
down  that  fellow  without  giving  him  a  chance  of  his  life.  If 
there  had  not  been  the  trap-door  to  escape  by  I  should  have 
stood  up,  given  him  fair  warning,  and  fought  it  out  man  to 
man.  As  it  was — "  at  this  point  the  conversation  had  been 
arrested  by  the  sudden  entrance  of  Julian. 

"  Who  is  he  ?  "  the  chief  of  the  smugglers  asked  Joe  when 
he  had  finished  his  conversation  with  the  prisoner.  "Is  he 
a  spy  ?  ' ' 


THE  SMUGGLER'S  CAVE  69 

"  No ;  he  is  a  young  chap  as  lives  down  in  the  town.  He 
is  a  pal  of  some  of  our  friends  there,  and  has  been  with  them 
at  the  landings  of  goods.  He  was  caught  in  that  last  affair, 
but  got  off  because  they  could  not  prove  that  he  was  actually 
engaged  in  the  business.  He  is  an  enemy  of  Faulkner's  too ; 
they  had  a  row  there,  and  Faulkner  hit  him  in  the  face.  You 
can  see  the  mark  still ;  and  he  would  have  thrown  Faulkner 
on  to  the  bonfire  they  had  lit  if  he  had  not  been  prevented 
by  some  of  the  coast-guards.  It  is  through  what  he  had 
heard  from  our  friends  of  this  cavern,  and  there  being  an  en- 
trance to  it  somewhere,  that  he  came  to  look  for  the  trap-door. 
I  certainly  pushed  the  bolt  forward  when  I  came  down,  but 
I  was  in  a  hurry,  so  I  suppose  it  could  not  have  caught 
rightly." 

' '  Well,  what  is  to  be  done,  Joe  ?  ' ' 

"I  don't  know.  You  see  he  knows  about  my  shooting 
Faulkner.  I  would  trust  him  not  to  peach  about  this  cavern 
or  the  trap-door,  but  I  don't  know  as  I  would  about  the  other 
thing.  It  seems  to  me  that  he  is  just  as  likely  to  be  suspected 
of  having  a  hand  in  it  as  I  am.  His  row  with  Faulkner  is  the 
talk  of  the  place,  and  when  Faulkner  is  found  with  a  bullet  in 
him,  he  will  be  the  first  fellow  to  be  suspected.  Well,  if  that 
was  so,  and  you  see  he  would  not  be  able  to  account  for  him- 
self for  three  or  four  hours  afterwards,  he  might  be  driven  to 
peach  on  me  to  save  his  own  life,  and  he  would  be  obliged  to 
give  all  the  story  about  following  me  and  coming  down  here. 
There  would  be  an  end  of  the  best  hiding-place  in  the  coun- 
try, and  I  should  not  be  able  to  show  my  face  on  this  side  of 
the  Channel  again." 

"  I  should  say  the  safest  plan  would  be  to  cut  his  throat 
and  chuck  him  into  the  sea,  and  have  done  with  it." 

"No,  I  won't  have  that,"  the  poacher  said  positively. 
"  Your  lugger  will  be  in  to-night,  and  we  will  take  him  across 
with  us  to  France." 


70  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  That  is  all  very  well,"  one  of  the  men  said  ;  "  but  what 
is  to  prevent  his  coming  back  again  ?  " 

"  We  could  prevent  it  somehow  or  other.  We  could  get 
up  a  tale  that  he  was  an  English  sailor  we  had  picked  up  at 
sea,  and  hand  him  over  to  the  authorities,  and  tell  them  his 
story  was,  that  he  had  fallen  overboard  from  an  English  ship 
of  war.  Then  they  would  send  him  away  to  some  place  in 
the  interior  where  they  keep  English  prisoners  of  war,  and 
there  he  might  lie  for  years  ;  perhaps  never  get  back  again. 
He  does  not  know  a  word  of  French,  as  you  saw  when  you 
spoke  to  him,  so  he  can't  contradict  any  story  we  may  tell, 
and  if  by  chance  any  questions  should  be  asked,  I  can  just  say 
what  suits  us." 

"  He  might  ruin  us  all  if  he  came  back,"  the  smuggler 
growled. 

"It  ain't  likely  that  he  will  come  back,"  the  poacher  said. 
"  I  have  heard  that  they  die  off  like  flies  in  those  prisons  of 
yours ;  and,  besides,  I  will  guarantee  if  he  does,  he  will  never 
split  about  this  place.  He  is  a  gentleman,  and  I  will  get  him 
to  swear  to  me,  and  you  may  be  sure  he  will  not  break  his 
oath. ' ' 

"  But  how  about  yourself?  " 

"  Well,  as  he  won't  come  back  for  some  years,  I  will  take 
my  chance  of  that.  He  has  got  no  evidence  against  me ;  it 
would  be  his  word  against  mine.  He  would  tell  his  story  and 
I  should  tell  mine,  and  mine  would  be  the  most  likely.  I 
should  say  I  met  him  on  the  hills  with  his  gun,  and,  knowing 
who  I  was,  and  what  cause  I  had  got  to  hate  Faulkner,  he  told 
me  that  he  had  shot  him,  and  asked  me  to  get  him  on  board 
a  smuggler  craft  and  across  the  Channel,  and  that  I  had  done 
so  :  and  that  is  all  I  should  know  about  it.  No,  I  am  not 
afraid  of  anything  he  might  say  when  he  comes  back  again." 

Julian  had  watched  the  speakers  anxiously  during  this  con- 
versation. He  was  wholly  ignorant  of  French,  but  from  the 


THE  SMUGGLER'S  CAVE  71 

tone  and  manner  of  the  shakers,  he  gathered  that  the  poacher 
was  speaking  in  his  favour.  He  had  expected  no  mercy  ;  his 
life  was  nothing  to  these  French  smugglers  ;  and  he  was  sur- 
prised to  find  the  man,  whose  life  he  thought  he  held  in  his 
hand  if  released,  apparently  pleading  his  cause. 

"Look  here,  young  fellow!  "  the  poacher  said,  turning 
towards  him.  "  In  the  first  place,  these  men  are  afraid  that 
you  may  betray  the  existence  of  this  place,  and  their  opinion 
is  that  the  best  thing  to  make  us  safe  would  be  to  cut  your 
throat  and  throw  you  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  cave  into  the 
sea.  I  told  them  that  you  knew  of  the  cave  from  one  of  our 
friends,  and  could  be  trusted  to  keep  the  secret ;  at  any  rate 
they  demand,  in  the  first  place,  that  you  shall  take  an  oath 
never  to  split  about  it." 

"  I  will  do  that  willingly  enough,"  Julian  said,  with  a  great 
feeling  of  relief. 

Joe  Markham  then  dictated  a  terrible  oath,  which  had  been 
always  taken  by  all  those  made  acquainted  with  the  existence 
of  the  cave,  and  this  Julian  repeated  after  him.  The  poacher 
then  told  the  smugglers  what  Julian  had  sworn  to. 

"Now,  young  fellow,  I  may  tell  you  that  we  are  going  to 
take  you  over  to  France  to-night.  You  may  think  I  shall  be 
asking  you  to  take  another  oath,  like  that,  not  to  say  anything 
against  me,  but  I  ain't  going  to.  I  shot  the  man,  and  I  don't 
pretend  to  be  sorry  for  it.  He  was  a  hard,  bad  chap,  and  he 
got  what  he  deserved.  I  owed  him  a  long  score,  not  only  for 
myself,  but  for  others,  and  if  I  had  not  shot  him,  someone  else 
would  have  done  so  sooner  or  later.  I  shall  do  what  I  can  to 
prevent  you  coming  back  here,  though  I  don't  think  you  will 
say  anything  against  me  when  you  do  come  back.  In  the  first 
place,  like  enough  I  shall  take  to  the  sea  again,  and  may  be 
settled  in  France  before  you  return.  In  the  next  place,  I  may 
be  dead  ;  and,  most  of  all,  you  have  got  no  evidence  against  me. 
If  I  were  here,  and  you  told  the  story,  of  course  I  should  say 


72  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

that  it  \vas  a  lie,  and  that  you  had  shot  the  man  yourself,  and 
I  had  got  you  out  of  the  way  by  sending  you  across  to  France 
in  a  lugger,  so  I  think  you  will  see  that  it  is  best  to  keep  a  quiet 
tongue  in  your  head  ;  anyhow  I  am  ready  to  take  my  chance 
of  it." 

"  They  will  be  horribly  alarmed  when  I  don't  get  home  to- 
night," Julian  said. 

"Well,  they  must  be  alarmed,"  the  poacher  said  carelessly. 
"  You  have  interfered  in  this  business,  which  was  none  of  yours, 
and  you  have  got  to  take  the  consequences ;  you  may  think  your- 
self a  lucky  fellow  that  you  are  not  by  this  time  drifting  about 
on  the  tideway." 

"  I  feel  that,"  Julian  said  ;  "  and  though  I  did  not  under- 
stand a  word  of  what  you  said,  I  am  sure  that  it  was  owing  to 
you  that  I  am  not  there.  I  could  not  have  promised  that  I 
Avould  never  say  a  word  to  anyone  about  you,  because  one  can 
never  tell  how  one  may  be  placed ;  but,  after  what  you  have 
done,  I  think  that  I  can  safely  promise  that  I  will  never  go  out 
of  my  way  to  denounce  you. ' ' 

"  I  don't  want  any  promise  about  it,"  the  poacher  replied. 
"  I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  leave  Weymouth,  for,  after  hav- 
ing been  in  jail  two  years,  I  shall  always  have  the  constables  as 
well  as  the  revenue  men  keeping  their  eye  on  me,  so  I  had  in- 
tended all  along  to  take  to  the  lugger  again,  and  live  on  board 
her  as  I  did  before,  and  I  only  stayed  here  until  I  could  settle 
accounts  with  Faulkner.  I  have  no  doubt  that  they  will  sus- 
pect me  of  this  business.  There  are  plenty  of  men  who  know 
that  I  had  sworn  to  be  even  with  him,  and  my  disappearance 
is  sure  to  be  put  down  to  that.  Now,  in  the  next  place,  will 
you  promise  not  to  try  to  escape,  because  if  you  do,  I  will  get 
them  to  take  these  ropes  off  you  ?  I  dare  say  you  have  been 
thinking  that  if  you  could  get  free  you  would  make  a  run  for 
the  mouth  of  the  cave  and  dive  in,  for  it  is  about  high  water 
now. ' ' 


THE  SMUGGLER'S  CAVE  73 

Julian  had,  in  fact,  been  thinking  so,  but  as  he  saw  that  un- 
less he  gave  his  promise  he  would  have  to  remain  in  the  cords 
that  were  cutting  into  his  wrists,  he  at  once  took  the  required 
oath.  Joe  told  the  Frenchmen,  and  they  then  unfastened 
Julian's  cords. 

"  We  may  as  well  carry  up  the  bales  at  once,"  their  leader 
said,  "  before  it  gets  dark.  It  is  no  use  giving  anyone  at  sea 
a  chance  of  seeing  a  light.  Tell  him  to  take  one  and  come  up 
with  us.  I  am  not  going  to  leave  him  here  by  himself,  promise 
or  no  promise." 

The  poacher  translated  the  order  to  Julian.  Some  bales 
were  taken  out  from  beneath  a  tarpaulin  at  the  end  of  the  cave, 
and,  each  shouldering  one,  they  proceeded  up  the  passage 
until  they  reached  the  foot  of  the  ladder.  Here  they  laid  the 
bales  down,  and  then  returned  to  the  cave. 

"  Is  that  all?  "  Julian  asked. 

"  Yes,  those  bales  are  worth  a  lot  of  money.  There  is  fif- 
teen hundred  pounds  worth  of  lace  in  one  of  them.  The 
others  are  silks  and  satins,  and  worth  another  five  hundred. 
To-night,  when  we  hear  the  signal,  I  and  three  of  the  French- 
men will  go  up.  We  shall  find  two  men  there,  and  shall  carry 
the  bales  to  a  place  a  mile  and  a  half  away,  where  they  will  be 
hidden  until  it  is  convenient  to  send  them  up  to  London,  or 
wherever  they  are  going  to  dispose  of  them — that  is  their 
business ;  ours  is  finished  when  they  hand  us  over  the  money 
for  them.  They  will  come  at  eight  o'clock,  and  at  ten  the 
lugger  will  be  off  the  coast  here  and  send  a  boat  ashore  for  us. 
So  you  have  got  five  or  six  hours  yet,  and  I  should  say  the 
best  thing  you  can  do  is  to  turn  in  and  sleep  till  then.  There 
are  plenty  of  blankets  in  that  corner  and  a  pile  of  sheep-skins 
that  you  can  sleep  on." 

Julian  nodded,  threw  two  or  three  of  the  sheep-skins  down 
in  a  corner,  rolled  another  up  for  a  pillow,  drew  a  blanket 
over  him,  and  for  the  first  time  looked  round  the  cave.  It 


74  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

was  lighted  only  by  a  small  hole  used  as  a  look-out ;  at  present 
a  blanket  hung  before  this.  There  was  a  door  similar  to  that 
by  which  he  had  entered  from  above  leading  to  the  lower  cave. 
How  far  that  lower  entrance  might  be  below  them  Julian  had 
no  means  of  knowing,  but  from  the  view  he  had  obtained  of 
the  sea  through  a  large  loop-hole  he  had  passed  in  his  descent, 
he  did  not  think  that  the  cavern  he  was  in  could  be  less  than 
seventy  or  eighty  feet  above  the  water.  The  sole  ventilation, 
as  far  as  he  could  see,  was  the  current  of  air  that  found  its  way 
in  through  the  door  from  below,  and  passed  up  through  that 
above,  and  what  could  come  in  through  the  loop-hole  sea- 
wards. Doubtless  in  warmer  weather  both  the  doors  stood 
open,  but  were  now  closed  more  for  warmth  than  for  any  other 
purpose,  although  he  had  noticed  that  the  lower  one  had  been 
bolted  and  locked  after  he  had  been  first  captured. 

As  he  lay  down  he  wondered  how  it  was  all  going  to  end. 
His  position  was  at  once  perilous  and  uncertain.  He  had,  so 
far,  escaped  better  than  he  could  have  expected,  for  from  the 
looks  the  Frenchmen  had  given  him,  he  had  no  doubt  what 
his  fate  would  have  been  had  not  the  man  he  had  been  chas- 
ing spoken  in  his  favour.  His  life  therefore  seemed  for  the 
present  safe,  but  the  future  was  very  dark.  The  poacher  had 
spoken  as  if  he  was  not  likely  to  return  for  some  years.  They 
surely  could  not  intend  to  keep  him  on  board  ship  all  that 
time.  Could  they  mean  to  put  him  upon  some  vessel  sailing 
abroad  ?  What  a  way  Frank  and  his  aunt  would  be  in  !  They 
would  learn  that  he  had  started  for  home  early  in  the  after- 
noon, and  it  would  be  absolutely  certain  that  he  could  not 
have  strayed  from  the  road  nor  met  with  any  accident  coming 
along  the  valley.  It  would  certainly  be  awkward  his  being 
missed  on  the  same  day  Faulkner  had  been  shot,  especially  as, 
according  to  the  time  he  had  started  for  home,  he  would  have 
come  along  the  road  somewhere  about  the  time  the  magistrate 
was  shot. 


THE  SMUGGLER'S  CAVE  75 

It  was  a  horrible  thought  that  suspicion  might  fall  upon 
him.  Those  who  knew  him  would  be  sure  that  he  could  have 
had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  the  murder ;  still,  the  more 
he  thought  of  it  the  more  he  felt  that  suspicions  were  certain 
to  rise,  and  that  he  would  find  it  extremely  difficult  to  explain 
matters  on  his  return.  The  memory  of  his  quarrel  with  the 
magistrate  was  fresh  in  everybody's  mind,  and  even  his  friends 
might  well  consider  it  singular  that  his  words  to  Faulkner 
should  so  soon  have  been  carried  into  effect.  It  is  true  that 
Joe  Markham  would  be  missing  too,  and  that  the  man's  own 
acquaintances  would  have  no  great  difficulty  in  guessing  that 
he  had  carried  out  his  threats  against  Faulkner,  but  they 
would  certainly  not  communicate  their  opinion  to  the  con- 
stables, and  the  latter  might  not  think  of  the  man  in  connec- 
tion with  the  murder,  nor  notice  that  he  was  no  longer  to  be 
seen  about  the  town. 

Even  were  he  himself  free  to  leave  the  cave  now  and 
return  to  Weymouth,  he  would  find  himself  in  a  most  awk- 
ward position.  There  was,  of  course,  no  shadow  of  evidence 
against  him  save  that  he  was  known  to  have  quarrelled  with 
Faulkner,  and  must  have  been  very  near  the  spot  the  moment 
he  was  killed,  but  how  could  he  explain  six  or  seven  hours' 
absence  ?  He  could  but  say  that  he  had  caught  sight  of  a 
man  in  the  plantation  and  followed  him  for  miles  among  the 
hills,  and  had  lost  sight  of  him  at  last.  He  had  not  a  shadow 
of  evidence  to  produce  in  confirmation  of  his  story ;  in  fact 
there  was  no  direct  evidence  either  way.  There  could  be  no 
doubt  he  would  have  to  remain  under  a  cloud  of  suspicion.  It 
was  bad  enough  before,  but  this  would  be  altogether  intolera- 
ble, and  it  was  perhaps  best,  after  all,  that  he  was  to  be  taken 
away,  and  his  future  decided  for  him. 

He  should  have  gone  anyhow,  and  no  doubt  he  would  be 
able  to  get  some  opportunity  of  writing  to  Frank  and  setting 
his  mind  at  rest  as  to  his  safety,  and  telling  him  something 


lit  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

about  what  had  happened,  and  thnt  he  had  been  kidnapped  and 
carried  over  to  France.  He  had  acted  like  a  fool,  no  doubt, 
but  Frank  would  understand  why  he  had  followed  his  first  im- 
pulse and  gone  alone  after  the  man  who  committed  the 
murder,  instead  of  going  to  the  constables  and  telling  them 
that  some  unknown  man  had  killed  the  magistrate.  One  thing 
seemed  certain,  he  should  never  be  able  to  go  back  to  Wey- 
mouth  again  unless  the  affair  was  cleared  up,  and  he  did  not 
see  how  that  ever  could  be. 

At  this  point  Julian's  thoughts  became  confused.  The 
voices  of  the  men  talking  at  the  table  seemed  to  get  further 
and  further  away,  and  then  he  was  conscious  of  nothing 
more  until  he  heard  a  bell  tinkle  faintly  somewhere  over- 
head. There  was  a  movement  in  the  cave,  and  he  sat  up. 
All  the  men  went  out  by  the  upper  door.  When  they  had 
left  he  got  up  and  went  to  see  if  the  lower  door  was  so 
fastened  that  he  could  not  open  it.  He  had  no  idea  of 
breaking  his  word,  but  did  so  out  of  curiosity  rather  than 
from  any  other  feeling.  He  found  that  the  bolts  could  be 
pulled  back,  but  that  the  lock  was  a  very  strong  one,  and 
the  jamb  was,  at  the  point  where  the  bolt  shot  into  it,  cov- 
ered with  a  piece  of  iron,  so  that  no  instrument  could  be  used 
for  forcing  back  the  bolt. 

"It  may  be,"  he  thought,  "  that  some  other  prisoner  has 
been  confined  here  at  some  time  or  other,  or  possibly  this  has 
been  done  in  order  that  if  the  trap-door  above  should  be 
found,  and  the  revenue  men  come  down  that  way,  the  smug- 
glers in  their  flight  might  lock  the  door  behind  them  and  so 
have  time  to  get  away  in  a  boat  or  along  at  the  foot  of  the 
cliffs  before  their  pursuers  could  get  down  to  the  lower  en- 
trance and  open  fire  upon  them." 

Then  he  lay  down  again.  He  wondered  whether  the  pull 
of  'the  bell  he  had  heard  could  be  hidden  in  the  grass  like 
the  handle  of  the  trap.  It  might  only  be  a  very  small  knob, 


THE  SMUGGLER'S  CAVE  77 

but  he  had  looked  so  closely  amo_ng  the  bushes  that  he  won- 
dered it  had  escaped  him.  In  three  or  four  minutes  the 
French  captain  came  down  again,  and  walked  across  to  where 
he  was  lying : 

"  Pauin'e  diable  !  "  he  muttered,  and  then  went  back  to  the 
table,  filled  himself  a  glass  of  spirits  and  water,  and  lit  his 
pipe.  A  moment  later  a  thought  seemed  to  strike  him,  and 
he  came  across  to  Julian  again  and  touched  him.  He  at  once 
sat  up.  The  Frenchman  motioned  him  to  come  to  the  table, 
went  to  a  cupboard,  brought  out  a  wooden  platter  with  a 
large  lump  of  cold  beef  and  a  loaf  of  bread  and  some  cheese, 
poured  him  out  a  horn  of  brandy  and  water,  and  motioned  him 
to  eat.  Julian  attacked  the  food  vigorously.  He  had  had 
some  lunch  with  his  friends  before  starting  for  his  walk  back 
to  Weymouth,  but  that  had  been  nearly  seven  hours  before, 
and  his  run  across  the  hills  in  the  keen  air  had  given  him  a 
sharp  appetite,  so  he  did  full  justice  to  the  food. 

"  This  is  not  a  bad  fellow  after  all,"  he  said  to  himself,  as 
the  smuggler,  when  he  had  finished,  brought  out  a  box  of 
cigars  and  placed  it  before  him.  "  He  would  have  knocked 
me  on  the  head  without  compunction,  in  the  way  of  business  ; 
but  now  when  he  has  concluded  that  I  am  not  dangerous,  he 
comes  out  as  a  good  fellow."  He  nodded  pleasantly  to  the 
Frenchman  as  he  lit  the  cigar,  which  was  an  excellent  one, 
and  far  better  than  any  Julian  had  been  accustomed  to  smoke 
with  his  associates  in  the  billiard  room. 

The  Frenchman's  thoughts  were  not  dissimilar  to  his  own. 
"  He  is  a  brave  garfott,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  and  makes  the 
best  of  things.  He  is  a  fine-looking  fellow,  too,  and  will  be 
a  big  man  in  another  year  or  two.  It  is  a  misfortune  that  we 
have  got  to  take  him  and  shut  him  up  in  prison.  Why  did 
he  mix  himself  up  in  this  affair  of  Markham  ?  That  is  the 
way  with  boys.  Instead  of  being  grateful  to  the  man  that 
had  killed  his  enemy,  he  must  needs  run  after  him  as  if  he  had 


78  THROUGH   RUSSIAN   SNOWS 

done  him  an  injury.  Well,  it  can't  be  helped  now;  but,  at 
least,  I  will  make  him  as  comfortable  as  I  can  as  long  as  he  is 
on  board  the  lugger." 

In  another  half  hour  Joe  Markham  returned  with  the  French 
sailors.  "  There  is  a  big  stir  down  in  Weymouth,"  he  said 
to  Julian.  "  I  heard  from  our  friend  that  the  place  is  like  a 
hive  of  bees.  I  tell  you,  Mr.  Wyatt,  that  it  is  a  lucky  thing 
for  you  that  you  found  the  trap-door  and  came  down  here. 
You  mayn't  like  being  our  prisoner ;  but  it  is  a  lot  better  than 
being  in  a  cell  down  in  Weymouth  with  a  charge  of  murder 
hanging  over  you,  which  you  would  have  been  if  you  had  gone 
straight  back  again." 

"  A  charge  of  murder  !  "  Julian  repeated,  springing  to  his 
feet.  "  How  could  such  a  charge  be  brought?  It  could  not 
have  been  known  so  soon  that  I  was  missing.  I  must  go  back 
and  face  it.  If  I  run  away,  now  I  have  been  openly  accused, 
everyone  will  make  sure  of  my  guilt. ' ' 

"  Well,  sir,  I  should  say  it  is  a  sight  better  that  they  should 
suspect  you,  and  you  safely  over  in  France,  than  that  they 
should  suspect  you  with  you  in  their  hands ;  but  at  any  rate, 
you  see  you  have  no  choice  in  the  matter.  You  could  only 
clear  yourself  by  bringing  me  into  it ;  though  I  doubt,  as 
things  have  turned  out,  that  that  would  help  you  a  bit." 

"  I  warn  you  that  I  shall  make  my  escape,  and  come  back 
again  as  soon  as  I  can,"  Julian  said  passionately. 

"  Well,  sir,  if  you  have  a  fancy  for  hanging,  of  course  you 
can  do  so  ;  but  from  what  I  hear,  hanging  it  would  be,  as 
sure  as  you  stand  there.  There  is  a  warrant  out  against  you, 
and  the  constables  are  scouring  all  the  country." 

"  But  what  possible  ground  can  they  have  to  go  upon  ex- 
cept that  smuggling  affair  ?  " 

"  Well,  if  what  our  friend  told  me  is  true,  they  have  very 
good  grounds,  as  they  think,  to  go  on.  He  was  talking  with 
one  of  the  constables,  and  he  told  him  that  Faulkner  is  net 


THE  SMUGGLER'S  CAVE  79 

dead  yet,  though  he  ain't  expected  to  last  till  morning.  His 
servants  came  out  to  look  for  him  when  the  horse  came  back 
to  the  house  without  him.  A  man  rode  into  Weymouth  for 
the  doctor,  and  another  went  to  Colonel  Chambers  and  Mr. 
Harrington.  By  the  time  they  got  there  Faulkner  was  con- 
scious, and  they  took  his  dying  deposition.  He  said  that  he 
had  had  a  row  with  you  a  short  distance  before  he  had  got  to 
his  gate,  and  that  you  said  you  would  be  even  with  him.  As 
he  was  riding  up  through  the  wood  to  his  house,  he  suddenly 
heard  a  gun  and  at  the  same  moment  fell  from  his  horse.  A 
minute  later  you  came  out  from  the  wood  at  the  point  where 
the  shot  had  been  fired.  You  had  a  gun  in  your  hand. 
Feeling  sure  that  your  intention  was  to  ascertain  if  he  was 
done  for,  and  to  finish  him  off  if  you  found  that  he  was  not, 
he  shut  his  eyes  and  pretended  to  be  dead.  You  stooped 
over  him,  and  then  made  off  at  full  speed.  Now,  sir,  that 
will  be  awkward  evidence  to  get  over,  and  you  must  see  that 
you  will  be  a  long  way  safer  in  France  than  you  would  in 
Weymouth." 

Julian  sank  down,  crushed  by  the  blow.  He  saw  that  what 
the  poacher  said  was  true.  What  would  his  unsupported  as- 
sertion go  for  as  against  the  dying  man's  deposition  ?  No 
doubt  Faulkner  had  stated  what  he  believed  to  be  the  truth, 
though  he  might  not  have  given  quite  a  fair  account  of  what 
had  taken  place  in  the  road ;  still,  there  would  be  no  cross-ex- 
amining him  as  to  what  had  passed  there,  and  his  statement 
would  stand  unchallenged.  As  things  now  stood,  Julian's  own 
story  that  he  had  pursued  a  man  over  the  hills,  and  had  lost 
him,  would,  wholly  unsupported  as  it  was,  be  received  with 
absolute  incredulity.  He  had  been  at  the  spot  certainly  at 
the  time.  He  had  had  words  with  Faulkner ;  he  had  had  a 
gun  in  his  hands ;  he  had  come  out  and  leaned  over  the 
wounded  man  within-  less  than  a  minute  of  the  shot  being 
fired.  The  chain  of  evidence  against  him  seemed  to  be  com- 


80  THROUGH    RUSSIAN   SNOWS 

piete,  and  he  sat  appalled  at  the  position  in  which  he  found 
himself. 

"Look  here,  youngster,"  the  poacher  said,  "it  is  a  bad 
job,  and  I  don't  say  it  isn't.  I  am  sorry  for  you,  but  I  ain't 
so  sorry  as  to  go  and  give  myself  up  and  get  hung  in  your 
place  ;  but  I'll  tell  you  what  I  will  do.  When  I  get  across  to 
France  I  will  draw  up  a  statement  and  swear  it  before  a  mag- 
istrate,  giving  an  account  of  the  whole  affair,  and  I  will  put  it 
in  a  tin  case  and  always  carry  it  about  with  me.  I  will  direct 
it  to  Colonel  Chambers,  and  whenever  anything  happens  to 
me  it  shall  be  sent  to  him.  I  am  five-and-twenty  years  older 
than  you  are,  and  the  life  I  lead  ain't  likely  to  give  me  old  age. 
To  make  matters  safer,  I  will  have  two  copies  made  of  my 
statement — one  I  will  leave  in  the  hands  of  one  of  our  friends 
here.  The  craft  I  am  in  may  be  wrecked  some  day,  or  sunk 
by  one  of  the  cutters  ;  anyhow,  whichever  way  it  come.s,  he  is 
certain  to  hear  of  my  death,  and  I  shall  tell  him  that  when  he 
hears  of  it  he  is  to  send  that  letter  to  Chambers." 

"Thank  you,"  Julian  said  earnestly.  "  It  may  not  come 
for  a  long  time,  but  it  will  be  something  for  me  to  know  that 
some  day  or  other  my  name  will  be  cleared  of  this  horrible 
accusation  ;  but  I  would  rather  have  gone  and  faced  it  out 
now." 

"It  would  be  just  suicide,"  the  man  said.  "  Weymouth 
ain't  the  only  place  in  the  world  ;  and  it  is  better  for  you  to 
live  out  of  it,  and  know  you  will  get  cleared  some  day,  than  to 
get  hung,  with  only  the  consolation  that  perhaps  twenty  years 
hence  they  may  find  out  they  have  made  a  mistake." 

"  It  isn't  so  much  myself  I  am  thinking  of  as  my  brother 
and  aunt.  My  going  away  and  never  sending  them  a  word 
will  be  like  confessing  my  guilt.  It  will  ruin  my  brother's 
life,  and  kill  my  aunt." 

"  Well,  I'll  tell  you  what  I  will  do,"  Markham  said.  "  You 
shall  write  a  letter  to  your  brother,  and  tell  him  your  story, 


THE  SMUGGLER'S  CAVE  81 

except,  of  course,  about  this  cave.  You  can  say  you  followed 
me,  and  that  I  and  some  smugglers  sprang  on  you  and  captured 
you,  and  have  carried  you  across  to  France.  All  the  rest  you 
can  tell  just  as  it  happened.  I  don't  know  as  it  will  do  me 
any  harm.  Your  folks  may  believe  it,  but  no  one  else  is  likely 
to  do  so.  I  don't  mean  to  go  back  to  Weymouth  again,  and 
if  I  did  that  letter  would  not  be  evidence  that  anyone  would 
send  me  to  trial  on.  Anyhow,  I  will  risk  that." 

"  Thank  you,  with  all  my  heart,"  Julian  said  gratefully. 
"  I  shall  not  so  much  mind,  if  Frank  and  Aunt  get  my  story. 
I  know  that  they  will  believe  it  if  no  one  else  does,  and  they 
can  move  away  from  Weymouth  to  some  place  where  it  will 
not  follow  them.  It  won't  be  so  hard  for  me  to  bear  then, 
especially  if  some  day  the  truth  gets  to  be  known.  Only 
please  direct  your  letters  to  '  Colonel  Chambers,  or  the  Chair- 
man of  the  Weymouth  magistrates,'  because  ha  is  at  least  ten 
years  older  than  you  are,  and  might  die  long  before  you,  and 
the  letter  might  never  be  opened  if  directed  only  to  him." 

"  Right  you  are,  lad.     I  will  see  to  that." 

Just  at  this  moment  one  of  the  sailors  came  down  from  the 
look-out  above,  and  said  that  the  signal  had  just  been  made 
from  the  offing,  and  that  the  lugger's  boat  would  be  below  in 
a  quarter  of  an  hour.  All  prepared  for  departure  ;  the  lower 
door  was  unbolted,  the  lights  extinguished,  and  they  went 
down  to  the  lower  entrance.  It  was  reached  by  a  staircase 
cut  in  the  chalk,  and  coming  down  into  a  long  and  narrow 
passage,  at  the  further  end  of  which  was  the  opening  Julian 
had  seen  from  the  sea.  The  party  gathered  at  the  entrance. 
In  a  few  minutes  a  boat  with  muffled  oars  approached  silently  ; 
a  rope  was  lowered,  a  noose  at  its  upper  end  being  placed 
over  a  short  iron  bar  projecting  three  or  four  inches  from  the 
chalk  a  foot  or  two  inside  the  entrance. 

The  French  captain  went  down  first.  Julian  was  told  to 
follow.  The  sailors  and  Markham  then  descended.  A  sharp 


82  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

jerk  shook  the  rope  off  the  bar,  and  the  boat  then  rowed  out 
to  tlvj  smuggler,  which  was  lying  half  a  mile  from  shore.  As 
soon  as  they  were  on  board  the  sails  were  sheeted  home,  and 
the  craft  began  to  steal  quietly  through  the  water,  towing  the 
boat  behind  it.  The  whole  operation  had  been  conducted  in 
perfect  silence.  The  men  were  accustomed  to  their  work ; 
there  was  no  occasion  for  orders,  and  it  was  not  until  they 
were  another  mile  out  that  a  word  was  spoken. 

"  All  has  gone  off  well,"  the  captain  then  said.  "  We  got 
the  laces  and  silks  safely  away,  and  the  money  has  been  paid 
for  them.  The  revenue  cutter  started  early  this  morning,  and 
was  off  Lyme  Regis  this  afternoon,  so  we  shall  have  a  clear 
run  out.  We  will  keep  on  the  course  we  are  laying  till  we 
are  well  beyond  the  race,  and  then  make  for  the  west.  We 
have  sent  word  for  them  to  be  on  the  look-out  for  us  at  the 
old  place  near  Dartmouth  to-morrow  night,  and  if  we  are  not 
there  then,  the  night  after ;  if  there  is  danger,  they  are  to 
send  up  a  rocket  from  the  hill  inland." 

The  wind  was  but  light,  and  keeping  a  smart  look-out  for 
British  cruisers,  and  lowering  their  sails  down  once  or  twice 
when  a  suspicious  sail  was  seen  in  the  distance,  they  approached 
the  rocky  shore  some  two  miles  east  of  the  entrance  to  the  bay 
at  ten  o'clock  on  the  second  evening  after  starting.  A  lantern 
was  raised  twice  above  the  bulwark,  kept  there  for  an  instant, 
and  then  lowered. 

"  I  expect  it  is  all  right,"  the  captain  said,  "or  they  would 
have  sent  up  a  rocket  before  this.  Half-past  eight  is  the  time 
arranged,  and  I  think  we  are  about  off  the  landing  place. 
Ah,  yes,  there  is  the  signal!  "  he  broke  off  as  a  light  was 
shown  for  a  moment  close  down  to  the  water's  edge.  "  Yes, 
there  it  is  again!  Lower  the  anchor  gently;  don't  let  it 
splash. ' ' 

A  light  anchor  attached  to  a  hawser  was  silently  let  down 
into  the  water. 


THE  SMUGGLER'S  CAVE  83 

"  Now,  off  with  the  hatches  ;  get  up  the  kegs." 

While  some  of  the  men  were  engaged  at  this  work,  others 
lowered  the  second  boat,  and  this,  and  the  one  towing  behind, 
were  brought  round  to  the  side.  Julian  saw  that  all  the  men 
were  armed  with  cutlasses,  and  had  pistols  in  their  belts. 
Rapidly  the  kegs  were  brought  up  on  deck  and  lowered  into 
the  boat. 

11  Ah,  here  comes  Thompson,"  the  captain  said,  as  a  very 
small  boat  rowed  up  silently  out  of  the  darkness.  "  Well,  my 
friend,  is  all  safe?"  he  asked  in  broken  English  as  the  boat 
came  alongside. 

"  Safe  enough,  captain.  Most  of  the  revenue  men  have 
gone  round  from  here  to  the  other  side  of  the  bay,  where  they  got 
news,  as  they  thought,  that  a  cargo  was  going  to  be  run.  The 
man  on  duty  here  has  been  squared,  and  will  be  away  at  the 
other  end  of  his  beat.  The  carts  are  ready,  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  away.  I  made  you  out  with  my  glass  just  before  sunset, 
and  sent  round  word  at  once  to  our  friends  to  be  in  readi- 
ness." 

The  boats  started  as  soon  as  their  cargoes  were  on  board, 
and  the  work  went  on  uninterruptedly  for  the  next  two  hours, 
by  which  time  the  last  keg  was  on  shore,  and  the  boats  re- 
turned to  the  lugger.  The  men  were  in  high  spirits.  The 
cargo  had  been  a  valuable  one,  and  the  whole  had  been  got 
rid  of  without  interruption.  The  boats  were  at  once  hoisted 
up,  the  anchor  weighed,  and  the  lugger  made  her  way  out 
to  sea. 

"  What  port  do  you  land  at?  "  Julian  asked  Markham. 

"  We  shall  go  up  the  Loire  to  Nantes,"  he  replied  ;  "  she 
hails  from  there.  To-morrow  morning  you  had  best  put  on 
that  sailor  suit  I  gave  you  to-day.  Unless  the  wind  freshens 
a  good  deal  we  sha'n't  be  there  for  three  or  four  days,  but  I 
fancy,  from  the  look  of  the  sky,  that  it  will  blow  up  before 
morning,  and,  as  likely  as  not,  we  shall  get  more  than  we  want 


84  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

by  evening.  There  is  generally  a  cruiser  or  two  off  the  mouth 
of  the  river.  In  a  light  wind  we  can  show  them  our  heels 
easily  enough,  but  if  it  is  blowing  at  all  their  weight  tells.  I 
am  glad  to  be  at  sea  again,  lad,  after  being  cooped  up  in  that 
cursed  prison  for  two  years.  It  seems  to  make  a  new  man  of 
one.  I  don't  know  but  that  I  am  sorry  I  shot  that  fellow.  I 
don't  say  that  he  didn't  deserve  it,  for  he  did;  but  I  don't 
see  it  quite  so  strongly  as  I  did  when  I  was  living  on  bread 
and  water,  and  with  nothing  to  do  but  to  think  of  how  I 
could  get  even  with  him  when  I  got  out ;  besides,  I  never 
calculated  upon  getting  anyone  else  into  a  mess,  and  I  am 
downright  sorry  that  I  got  you  into  one,  Mr.  Wyatt.  How- 
ever, the  job  is  done,  and  it  is  no  use  crying  over  spilt  milk." 
Markham's  prediction  turned  out  correct.  A  fresh  wind 
was  blowing  by  the  morning,  and  two  days  later  the  lugger 
was  running  along,  close  under  the  coast,  fifteen  miles  south 
of  the  mouth  of  the  Loire,  having  kept  that  course  in  order  to 
avoid  any  British  cruisers  that  might  be  off  the  mouth  of  the 
river.  Before  morning  they  had  passed  St.  Nazaire,  and  were 
running  up  the  Loire. 


CHAPTER  V 

FOLLOWING   A   TRAIL 

T^RANK  had  started  early  for  a  walk  with  one  of  his  school 
1  friends.  Returning  through  the  town  at  three  in  the 
afternoon,  he  saw  people  talking  in  groups.  They  presently 
met  one  of  their  chums. 

' '  What  is  going  on,  Vincent  ?  ' ' 

"  Why,  have  you  not  heard  ?  Faulkner,  the  magistrate, 
has  been  shot." 

"Shot  !  "  the  two  boys  exclaimed.  "Do  you  mean  on 
purpose  or  accidentally  ?  ' ' 


FOLLOWING    A    TRAIL  85 

"  On  purpose.  The  servants  heard  a  gun  fired  close  by, 
and  a  minute  later  his  horse  galloped  up  to  the  door.  Two 
men  ran  along  the  drive,  and,  not  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
house,  found  him  lying  shot  through  the  bcdy.  Three  of  the 
doctors  went  off  at  once.  Thompson  came  back  ten  minutes 
ago,  for  some  instruments,  I  believe.  He  stopped  his  gig  for 
a  moment  to  speak  to  the  Rector,  and  I  hear  he  told  him  that 
it  might  be  as  well  for  him  to  go  up  at  once,  as  there  was  very 
little  probability  of  Faulkner's  living  through  the  night." 

"  Well,  I  can't  say  that  I  am  surprised,"  Frank  said.  "  He 
has  made  himself  so  disliked,  there  are  so  many  men  who  have 
a  grudge  against  him,  and  he  has  been  threatened  so  often, 
that  I  have  heard  fellows  say  dozens  of  times  he  would  be  shot 
some  day.  And  yet  I  suppose  no  one  ever  really  thought  that 
it  would  come  true  ;  anyhow  it  is  a  very  bad  affair." 

Leaving  the  other  two  talking  together,  Frank  went  on 
home.  Mrs.  Troutbeck  was  greatly  shocked  at  the  news. 

"  Dear,  dear  !  "  she  said,  "  what  dreadful  doings  one  does 
hear  of.  Who  would  have  thought  that  a  gentleman,  and  a 
magistrate  too,  could  have  been  shot  in  broad  daylight  within 
a  mile  or  two  of  us.  I  did  not  know  him  myself,  but  I  have 
always  heard  that  he  was  very  much  disliked,  and  it  is  awful 
to  think  that  he  has  been  taken  away  like  this." 

"Well,  Aunt,  I  don't  pretend  to  be  either  surprised  or 
shocked.  If  a  man  spends  his  life  in  going  out  of  his  way  to 
hunt  others  down,  he  must  not  be  surprised  if  at  last  one  of 
them  turns  on  him.  On  the  bench  he  was  hated  ;  it  was  not 
only  because  he  was  severe,  but  because  of  his  bullying  way. 
See  how  he  behaved  in  that  affair  with  Julian.  I  can't  say  I 
feel  any  pity  for  him  at  all,  he  has  sent  many  a  man  to  the 
gallows,  and  now  his  time  has  come." 

At  five  o'clock  it  was  already  dusk,  the  shutters  had  been 
closed,  and  the  lamp  lighted.  Presently  the  servant  entered. 

"  There  is  someone  wants  to  speak  to  you,  Master  Frank." 


86  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

Frank  went  out  into  the  hall.  The  head  of  the  constabu- 
lary and  two  of  his  men  were  standing  there.  Much  surprised, 
Prank  asked  the  officer  into  the  other  sitting-room. 

"  What  is  it,  Mr.  Henderson  ?  "  he  said. 

"  It  is  a  very  sad  business,  a  very  sad  business,  Mr.  Wyatt. 
Your  brother  is  not  at  home,  I  hear  ?  " 

"  No.  Julian  went  over  this  morning  to  have  a  day's  rab- 
bit-shooting with  Dick  Merry  weather.  I  expect  it  won't  be 
long  before  he  is  back.  There  is  nothing  the  matter  with 
him  ?  "  he  asked,  with  a  vague  feeling  of  alarm  at  the  gravity 
of  the  officer's  face. 

"  It  is  a  very  painful  matter,  Mr.  Wyatt ;  but  it  is  useless 
trying  to  hide  the  truth  from  you,  for  you  must  know  it  short- 
ly. I  hold  a  warrant  for  your  brother's  arrest  on  the  charge 
of  attempted  wilful  murder." 

Frank's  eyes  dilated  with  surprise  and  horror. 

"You  don't  mean — "  he  gasped,  and  then  his  faith  in  his 
brother  came  to  his  aid,  and  he  broke  off  indignantly  :  "  it  is 
monstrous,  perfectly  monstrous,  Mr.  Henderson.  I  suppose  it 
is  Faulkner,  and  it  is  because  of  that  wretched  smuggling  busi- 
ness that  suspicions  fall  on  him,  as  if  there  were  not  a  hundred 
others  who  owe  the  man  a  much  deeper  grudge  than  my 
brother  did  ;  indeed  he  had  no  animosity  against  him  at  all, 
for  Julian  got  the  best  of  it  altogether,  and  Faulkner  has  been 
hissed  and  hooted  every  time  he  has  been  in  the  town  since. 
If  there  was  any  ill-feeling  left  over  that  matter,  it  would  be 
on  his  part  and  not  on  Julian's.  Who  signed  the  warrant  ? 
Faulkner  himself?  " 

"No;  it  is  signed  by  the  Colonel  and  Mr.  Harrington. 
They  took  the  dying  deposition  of  Mr.  Faulkner.  There  is  no 
harm  in  my  telling  you  that,  because  it  must  be  generally 
known  when  your  brother  is  brought  up,  but  till  then  please 
do  not  let  it  go  further.  He  has  sworn  that  he  overtook  Mr. 
Wyatt  two  or  three  hundred  yards  before  he  got  to  his  own 


FOLLOWING    A    TRAIL  87 

gate.  There  was  an  altercation  between  them,  and  he  swears 
that  your  brother  used  threats.  He  had  a  double-barrelled 
gun  in  his  hand,  and  as  Faulkner  was  riding  up  the  drive  to 
the  house  he  was  fired  at  from  the  trees  on  his  left,  and  fell 
from  his  horse.  Almost  directly  afterwards  Mr.  Wyatt  ran 
out  from  the  spot  where  the  gun  had  been  fired.  Thinking 
he  would  finish  him  if  he  thought  he  was  still  alive,  Mr. 
Faulkner  closed  his  eyes  and  held  his  breath.  Your  brother 
came  up  and  stood  over  him,  and  having  satisfied  himself  that 
he  was  dead,  ran  off  through  the  trees  again." 

"  I  believe  it  is  a  lie  from  beginning  to  end,"  Frank  said 
passionately.  "Julian  has  brought  him  into  disgrace  here, 
and  the  fellow  invented  this  charge  out  of  revenge.  If  it 
had  been  in  the  road,  and  Faulkner  had  struck  Julian  as  he 
did  before,  and  Julian  had  had  his  loaded  gun  in  his  hand,  I 
don't  say  but  that  in  his  passion  he  might  have  shot  him; 
still,  I  don't  believe  he  would,  even  then.  Julian  is  one  of 
the  best-tempered  fellows  in  the  world ;  still,  I  would  admit 
that,  in  the  heat  of  the  moment,  he  might  raise  his  gun  and 
fire,  but  to  say  that  he  loaded  his  gun  after  Faulkner  had 
gone  on — for  I  am  sure  it  was  empty  as  he  came  along,  as  I 
have  never  known  him  to  bring  home  his  gun  loaded — and 
that  he  then  went  and  hid  behind  a  tree  and  shot  a  man  down. 
Why,  I  would  not  believe  it  if  fifty  honest  men  swore  to  it, 
much  less  on  the  oath  of  a  fellow  like  Faulkner. ' ' 

"  I  can't  say  anything  about  that,  Mr.  Wyatt ;  I  have  only 
my  duty  to  do." 

"Yes,  I  understand  that,  Mr.  Henderson.  Of  course  he 
must  be  arrested,  but  I  am  sure  no  one  will  believe  the  accusa- 
tion for  a  minute.  Oh  !  "  he  exclaimed,  as  a  fresh  idea  struck 
him,  "  what  was  Faulkner  shot  with  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  bullet  wound." 

"Well,  that  is  quite  enough,"  Frank  exclaimed  triumph- 
antly. "Julian  had  his  double-barrelled  gun  with  him,  and 


88  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

had  been  rabbit-shooting;  and  if  it  had  been  he  who  fired  it 
would  have  been  with  a  charge  of  shot.  You  don't  suppose 
he  went  about  with  a  bullet  in  his  pocket  to  use  in  case  he 
happened  to  meet  Faulkner,  and  have  another  row  with  him. 
Julian  never  fired  a  bullet  in  his  life,  as  far  as  I  know.  There 
is  not  such  a  thing  as  a  bullet-mould  in  the  house." 

The  officer's  look  of  gravity  relaxed.  "  That  is  important, 
certainly,"  he  said,  "very  important.  I  own  that  after  hear- 
ing the  deposition  read  it  did  seem  to  me  that,  as  the  result  of 
this  unfortunate  quarrel,  your  brother  might  have  been  so 
goaded  by  something  Mr.  Faulkner  said  or  did,  that  he  had 
hastily  loaded  his  gun,  and  in  his  passion  run  across  the  wood 
and  shot  him  down.  But  now  it  is  clear,  from  what  you  say, 
that  it  is  most  improbable  he  would  have  a  bullet  about  him, 
and  unless  it  can  be  proved  that  he  obtained  one  from  a  gun- 
maker  or  otherwise,  it  is  a  very  strong  point  in  his  favour.  I 
suppose  your  brother  has  not  returned  this  afternoon  ?  ' ' 

"No.  I  asked  the  servant,  when  I  got  home  at  three, 
whether  he  had  returned,  though  I  did  not  expect  him  back  so 
soon,  and  she  said  that  he  had  not  come  in,  and  I  am  sure  he 
has  not  done  so  since." 

"  Then  I  will  not  intrude  any  longer.  I  shall  place  one  of 
my  men  in  front  of  the  house  and  one  behind,  and  if  he  comes 
home  his  arrest  will  be  managed  quietly,  and  we  will  not  bring 
him  in  here  at  all.  It  will  save  a  painful  scene." 

When  the  officer  had  left,  Frank  returned  to  his  aunt. 

"  What  is  it,  Frank?  "  she  asked. 

"  Well,  Aunt,  it  is  a  more  absurd  affair  than  the  other ;  but, 
absurd  as  it  is,  it  is  very  painful.  There  is  a  warrant  out  for 
the  arrest  of  Julian  on  the  charge  of  attempting  to  murder 
Mr.  Faulkner." 

Mrs.  Troutbeck  gave  a  cry,  and  then  burst  into  a  fit  of 
hysterical  laughter.  After  vainly  trying  to  pacify  her,  Frank 
went  out  for  the  servant,  but  as  her  wild  screams  of  laughter 


FOLLOWING    A    TRAIL  89 

continued  he  put  on  his  hat  and  ran  for  the  family  doctor,  who 
lived  but  a  few  doors  away.  He  briefly  related  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case  to  him,  and  then  brought  him  back  to  the 
house.  It  was  a  long  time  before  the  violence  of  the  paroxysm 
passed,  leaving  Mrs.  Troutbeck  so  weak  that  she  had  to  be  car- 
ried by  Frank  and  the  doctor  up  to  her  room. 

"Don't  you  worry  yourself,  Aunt,"  Frank  said,  as  they 
laid  her  down  upon  the  bed  ;  "  it  will  all  come  out  right,  just 
as  the  last  did.  It  will  all  be  cleared  up,  no  doubt,  in  a  very 
short  time." 

As  soon  as  the  maid  had  undressed  Mrs.  Troutbeck,  and  had 
got  her  into  bed,  the  doctor  went  up  and  gave  her  an  opiate, 
and  then  went  down  into  the  parlour  to  Frank,  who  told  him 
the  story  in  full,  warning  him  that  he  must  say  nothing  about 
the  deposition  of  Mr.  Faulkner  until  it  had  been  read  in  court. 

"It  is  a  very  grave  affair,  Frank,"  the  old  doctor  said. 
"  Having  known  your  brother  from  his  childhood,  I  am  as 
convinced  as  you  are  that,  however  much  of  this  deposition  be 
true  or  false,  Julian  never  fired  the  shot ;  and  what  you  say 
about  the  bullet  makes  it  still  more  conclusive,  if  that  were 
needed — which  it  certainly  is  not  with  me.  Your  brother  had 
an  exceedingly  sweet  and  even  temper.  Your  father  has  often 
spoken  to  me  of  it,  almost  with  regret,  saying  that  it  would  be 
much  better  if  he  had  a  little  more  will  of  his  own  and  a  little 
spice  more  of  temper.  Still,  it  is  most  unfortunate  that  he 
hasn't  returned.  Of  course,  he  may  have  met  some  friend  in 
the  town  and  gone  home  with  htm,  or  he  may  have  stayed  at 
Mr.  Merry  weather's." 

"  I  don't  think  he  can  have  stopped  in  the  town  anyhow," 
Frank  said  ;  "for  the  first  thing  he  would  have  heard  when  he 
got  back  would  have  been  of  the  shooting  of  Faulkner,  and  he 
would  have  been  sure  to  have  come  home  to  talk  it  over  with 
me.  Of  course,  he  may  have  stopped  with  the  Merryweathers, 
but  I  am  afraid  he  has  not.  I  fancy  that  part  of  Faulkner's 


90  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

story  must  be  true ;  he  could  never  have  accused  Julian  if  he 
had  not  met  him  near  his  gate — for  Julian  in  that  case  could 
have  easily  proved  where  he  was  at  the  time.  No,  I  think  they 
did  meet,  and  very  likely  had  a  row.  You  know  what 
Faulkner  is ;  and  I  can  understand  that  if  he  met  Julian  he 
would  most  likely  say  something  to  him,  and  there  might  then 
be  a  quarrel ;  but  I  think  that  his  story  about  Julian  coming 
out  and  looking  at  him  is  either  pure  fancy  or  a  lie.  No  doubt 
he  was  thinking  of  him  as  he  rode  along  ;  and,  badly  wounded 
as  he  was,  perhaps  altogether  insensible,  he  may  have  imagined 
the  rest." 

"That  is  all  quite  possible,"  the  doctor  agreed;  "but  in 
that  case  Julian's  not  coming  home  is  all  the  more  extraordi- 
nary. If  he  met  Faulkner  between  two  and  three  o'clock, 
what  can  he  have  been  doing  since  ? ' ' 

This  was  a  question  Frank  could  not  answer. 

"  I  can't  tell,  sir,"  he  said  after  a  long  pause  ;  "I  really 
can't  imagine.  Still,  nothing  in  the  world  would  make  me 
believe  that  Julian  did  what  he  is  charged  with." 

Several  times  Frank  went  outside  the  door,  but  the  con- 
stable was  still  there.  At  last,  after  sitting  and  looking  at  the 
fire  for  some  time  he  put  on  his  cap  and  went  to  the  residence 
of  the  chief  constable. 

"  Excuse  me,  Mr.  Henderson,  but  I  have  been  thinking  it 
over  ever  since  you  left.  Whoever  did  this  murder  did  not 
probably  return  to  the  road,  but  struck  off  somewhere  across 
the  fields.  There  was  snow  enough  in  the  middle  of  the  day 
to  cover  the  ground ;  it  stopped  falling  at  two  o'clock,  and 
has  not  snowed  since.  Might  I  suggest  that  in  the  morning  a 
search  should  be  made  round  the  edge  of  the  wood.  If  there 
are  footprints  found  it  might  be  of  great  importance. ' ' 

"  You  are  quite  right,  Mr.  Wyatt,  and  I  had  already  deter- 
mined to  go  myself,  with  a  couple  of  constables,  at  daylight." 

"  May  I  go  with  you,  sir  ?  " 


FOLLOWING    A    TRAIL  91 

' ;  If  you  please.  But  you  must  remember  that  the  evidence 
of  footprints  which  we  may  find  may  be  unfavourable  to  your 
brother. ' ' 

"  I  have  not  the  slightest  fear  of  that,"  Frank  said  con- 
fidently. 

"  Very  well,  then,  Mr.  Wyatt.  The  two  constables  will  be 
here  at  half- past  seven,  and  I  shall  be  ready  to  start  with  them 
at  once.  Should  you  by  any  chance  be  late,  you  will,  no 
doubt,  be  able  to  overtake  us  before  we  get  there." 

The  next  morning  Frank  was  at  the  office  half  an  hour  be- 
fore the  appointed  time.  Fortunately  no  snow  had  fallen  in 
the  night.  The  chief  constable  looked  grave  and  anxioifs 
when  the  search  began  ;  Frank  was  excited  rather  than  anxious. 
He  had  no  fear  whatever  as  to  the  result  of  the  investigation  ; 
it  would  disclose  nothing,  he  felt  certain,  to  Julian's  disad- 
vantage. The  continued  absence  of  the  latter  was  unaccount- 
able to  him,  but  he  felt  absolutely  certain  that  it  would  be 
explained  satisfactorily  on  his  return. 

The  moment  they  got  across  the  hedge  into  the  fields  skirt- 
ing the  wood  the  chief  constable  exclaimed  : 

' '  Stay,  men  ;  here  are  footprints  by  the  edge  of  the  trees  ! 
Do  not  come  out  until  I  have  carefully  examined  them.  Do 
you  not  think,"  he  went  on,  turning  to  Frank,  "  that  it  would 
be  much  better  that  you  should  not  go  further  with  me,  for 
you  see  I  might  have  to  call  you  as  a  witness  ?  " 

"Not  at  all,  Mr.  Henderson;  whatever  we  find,  I  shall 
have  no  objection  to  being  a  witness,  for  I  am  certain  that 
we  shall  find  nothing  that  will  tend  to  incriminate  my  broth- 
er. I  see  what  you  are  thinking  of — that  these  footprints 
were  Julian's.  That  is  my  own  idea  too.  At  any  rate,  they 
are  the  marks  of  a  well-made  boot  of  large  size,  without  heavy 
nails." 

The  constable  nodded.  "  There  are  two  sets,"  he  said, 
"  one  going  each  way;  and  by  the  distance  they  are  apart, 


92  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

and  the  fact  that  the  heel  is  not  as  deeply  marked  as  the  rest 
of  the  print,  whoever  made  them  was  running." 

"  Certainly,"  Frank  agreed  ;  "he  ran  up  to  the  hedge  and 
then  turned.  Why  should  he  have  done  that?  " 

"  Probably  because  he  saw  some  vehicle  or  some  persons 
walking  along  the  road,  and  did  not  wish  to  be  seen. ' ' 

"Possibly  so,  Mr.  Henderson;  but  in  that  case,  why  did 
he  not  keep  among  the  trees  both  coming  and  going,  instead 
of  exposing  himself,  as  he  must  have  done  running  here ;  for 
the  hedge  is  thin,  and  any  one  walking  along,  much  less  driv- 
ing, could  have  seen  him." 

Mr.  Henderson  looked  at  Frank  with  a  closer  scrutiny  than 
he  had  before  given  him. 

"  You  are  an  acute  observer,  Mr.  Wyatt.  The  point  is  an 
important  one.  A  man  wishing  to  avoid  observation  would 
certainly  have  kept  among  the  trees.  Now,  let  us  follow  these 
footprints  along  ;  we  may  learn  something  further." 

Presently  they  came  to  the  point  where  Julian  had  come 
out  from  the  wood. 

"You  see  he  was  in  the  wood,  Mr.  Wyatt,"  the  constable 
said. 

"  I  quite  see  that,"  Frank  said.  "  If  these  are  the  marks 
of  Julian's  boots — and  I  think  they  are — we  have  now  found 
out  that  he  came  out  of  the  wood  at  this  point,  ran  for  some 
purpose  or  other,  and  without  an  attempt  at  concealment,  as 
far  as  the  hedge ;  then  turned  and  ran  back  again,  past  the 
point  where  he  had  left  the  wood.  Now  let  us  see  what  he 
did  afterwards — it  may  give  us  a  clue  to  the  whole  matter." 

Fifty  yards  further  they  came  on  the  spot  where  Julian  had 
turned  off  on  the  poacher's  track. 

"There  it  is,  Mr.  Henderson  !  "  Frank  exclaimed  triumph- 
antly. "Another  man  came  out  of  the  wood  here — a  man 
with  roughly -made  boots  with  hob-nails.  That  man  came 
out  first ;  that  is  quite  evident.  The  tracks  are  all  in  a  line, 


FOLLOWING    A    TRAIL  93 

and  Julian's  are  in  many  places  on  the  top  of  the  other's. 
They  were  both  running  fast.  But  if  you  look  you  will  see 
that  Julian's  strides  are  the  longest,  and,  therefore,  he  was 
probably  running  the  fastest." 

"It  is  as  you  say,  Mr.  Wyatt.  The  lighter  footprints 
obliterate  those  of  the  heavier  boots  in  several  places.  What 
can  be  the  meaning  of  this,  and  what  can  the  second  man 
have  been  doing  in  the  wood  ?  " 

"  The  whole  thing  is  perfectly  plain  to  me,"  Frank  said 
excitedly.  "Julian  was  in  the  road,  he  heard  the  report  of 
the  gun  close  by  in  the  wood,  and  perhaps  heard  a  cry  •  he 
jumped  over  the  hedge  and  made  for  the  spot,  and  possibly, 
as  Mr.  Faulkner  said,  ran  into  the  drive  and  stooped  over 
him ;  then  he  started  in  pursuit  of  the  murderer,  of  whom  he 
may  possibly  have  obtained  a  sight.  There  was  not  enough 
snow  under  the  trees  for  him  to  follow  the  footprints,  he 
therefore  ran  to  the  edge  of  the  wood,  and  then  to  the  road, 
in  search  of  the  man's  track.  Then  he  turned  and  ran  back 
again  till  he  came  upon  them  leaving  the  wood,  and  then 
set  off  in  pursuit." 

"  By  Jove  !  Mr.  Wyatt,"  the  officer  said,  "  I  do  think  that 
your  explanation  is  the  right  one.  Give  me  your  hand,  lad  ; 
I  had  no  more  doubt  five  minutes  ago  that  your  brother  had, 
in  a  fit  of  passion,  shot  Mr.  Faulkner  than  I  have  that  I  am 
standing  here  now.  But  I  declare  I  think  now  that  he  acted 
as  you  say.  How  you  have  struck  upon  it  beats  me  alto- 
gether." 

"I  have  been  thinking  of  nothing  else  all  the  night,  Mr. 
Henderson.  I  put  myself  in  Julian's  position,  and  it  seemed 
to  me  that,  hearing  a  gun  fired  so  close  at  hand,  even  if  he 
did  not  hear  a  cry,  Julian  knowing  how  often  the  man  had 
been  threatened,  might  at  once  have  run  to  the  spot,  and 
might  have  behaved  just  as  Faulkner  says  he  did.  All  that 
seemed  to  me  simple  enough  ;  Julian's  absence  was  the  only 


94  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

difficulty,  and  the  only  way  I   could  possibly  account   for  it, 
was  that  he  had  followed  the  murderer." 

"  It  was  very  imprudent,"  Mr.  Henderson  said  gravely. 

"  Very ;  but  it  was  just  the  sort  of  thing  Julian  would  have 
done." 

"But,  however  far  he  went,  he  ought  to  be  back  before 
this." 

"That  is  what  I  am  anxious  about,  Mr.  Henderson.  Of 
course  he  ought  to  be  back.  I  am  terribly  afraid  that  some- 
thing has  happened  to-  him.  This  man,  whoever  he  was,  must 
have  been  a  desperate  character,  and  having  taken  one  life 
from  revenge,  he  would  not  hesitate  to  take  another  to  secure 
his  own  safety.  He  had  a  great  advantage  over  Julian,  for, 
as  we  know,  his  gun  carried  bullets,  while  Julian  had  nothing 
but  small  shot.  Which  way  shall  we  go  next,  Mr.  Henderson 
— shall  we  follow  the  track  or  go  into  the  wood  ?  ' ' 

"  We  will  go  into  the  wood  ;  that  will  take  us  a  compar- 
atively short  time,  and  there  is  no  saying  how  far  the  other 
may  lead  us.  But,  before  we  do  so,  I  will  call  up  my  two 
men,  take  them  over  the  ground,  and  show  them  the  dis- 
coveries we  have  made.  It  is  as  well  to  have  as  many 
witnesses  as  possible." 

The  two  constables  were  called  up  and  taken  along  the  line 
of  track,  and  the  chief  constable  pointed  out  to  them  that 
the  man  with  well-made  boots  was  evidently  running  after  the 
other.  Then  they  entered  the  wood.  Carefully  searching, 
they  found  here  and  there  prints  of  both  the  boots.  They 
went  out  into  the  drive,  and,  starting  from  the  spot  where  Mr. 
Faulkner  had  been  found,  made  for  a  large  tree  some  thirty 
yards  to  the  left. 

"Just  as  I  thought,"  Mr.  Henderson  said.  "Someone 
has  been  standing  here,  and,  I  should  think,  for  some  little 
time.  You  can  see  that  the  ground  is  kicked  up  a  bit,  and, 
though  it  was  too  hard  to  show  the  marks  of  the  boots  plainly, 


FOLLOWING    A    TRAIL  95 

there  are  many  scratches  and  grooves,  such  as  would  be  made 
by  hob-nails.  Now,  lads,  search  about  closely ;  if  we  can 
find  the  wad  it  will  be  a  material  point." 

After  five  minutes'  search  one  of  the  men  picked  up  a  piece 
of  half-burned  paper.  Frank  uttered  an  exclamation  of 
satisfaction  as  he  held  it  up. 

"  Julian  always  used  wads.  This  never  came  from  his  gun. 
Now  let  us  go  back  to  the  tree,  Mr.  Henderson,  and  see  which 
way  the  man  went  after  firing  the  shot." 

After  careful  search  they  found  the  heavy  footprints  at 
several  spots  where  the  snow  lay,  and  near  them  also  found 
traces  of  the  lighter  boots.  The  trees  then  grew  thicker,  but 
following  the  line  indicated  by  the  footprints,  they  came  to 
the  spot  where  he  had  left  the  wood. 

"You  see,  Mr.  Henderson,"  Frank  said,  "  Julian  lost  the 
footprints  just  where  we  did,  and  bore  a  little  more  to  the 
left,  striking  the  edge  of  the  wood  between  where  the  man 
had  left  it  and  the  road.  Now,  sir,  we  have  only  to  find  the 
spot  where  Julian  first  left  the  road,  and  try  to  trace  his  foot- 
steps from  there  to  the  spot  where  Mr.  Faulkner  was  lying. 
We  know  that  the  shot  was  fired  from  behind  that  tree — and 
if  my  brother's  footsteps  miss  this  spot  altogether,  I  think  the 
case  will  be  absolutely  proved." 

They  went  back  into  the  road,  and  found  where  Julian  had 
crossed  the  untrodden  snow  between  it  and  the  hedge,  and 
had  pushed  his  way  through  the  latter.  It  was  only  here  and 
there  that  footprints  could  be  found ;  but,  fortunately,  some 
ten  yards  to  the  right  of  the  tree  there  was  an  open  space,  and 
across  this  he  had  evidently  run. 

"You  have  proved  your  case,  Mr.  Wyatt,"  the  chief  con- 
stable said,  shaking  Frank  cordially  by  the  hand.  "I  am 
indeed  glad.  Whoever  the  man  was  who  shot  Mr.  Faulkner, 
it  was  certainly  not  your  brother.  Now  let  us  start  at  once 
on  the  tracks." 


96  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

Frank's  face  became  more  serious  than  it  had  been  during 
the  previous  search,  as  soon  as  they  took  up  the  double  track 
across  the  fields.  Before,  he  had  felt  absolutely  confident 
that  whatever  they  might  find  it  could  only  tend  to  clear 
Julian  from  this  terrible  accusation  ;  now,  upon  the  contrary, 
he  feared  that  any  discovery  they  might  make  would  confirm 
his  suspicions  that  evil  had  befallen  him.  Scarcely  a  word 
was  spoken  as  they  passed  along  the  fields. 

"The  man  with  the  hob-nailed  boots  is  taking  to  the 
hills,"  the  chief  constable  remarked. 

"  I  am  afraid  so,  Mr.  Henderson  ;  and  as  they  are  bare  of 
snow  there  will  be  no  chance  of  our  following  him. ' ' 

When  they  came  to  the  point  where  the  snow  ended  they 
stopped. 

"  There  is  an  end  of  our  search,  Mr.  Wyatt.  We  must  re- 
turn to  the  town.  The  magistrates  will  meet  at  eleven  o'clock, 
and  I  and  the  constables  must  be  there.  But  I  will  send  off 
two  men  directly  we  get  back,  to  go  along  the  cliffs  and  ques- 
tion all  the  men  who  were  on  duty  yesterday  afternoon  as  to 
whether  they  saw  two  men  with  guns  crossing  the  hills,  one 
being  probably  some  distance  behind  the  other.  I  think, 
perhaps,  you  had  better  come  to  the  court.  I  don't  say  that 
it  will  be  absolutely  necessary,  but  I  think  it  would  be  better 
that  you  should  do  so ;  and  you  see  it  would  be  useless  for 
you  to  be  hunting  over  those  hills  alone.  As  soon  as  the 
court  is  over  I  will  take  four  men  and  will  myself  start  to 
search  for  him.  There  is  no  saying  whether  we  may  not  find 
some  sign  or  other.  I  shall  be  glad  if  you  will  go  with  me  ; 
you  have  shown  yourself  a  born  detective  this  morning,  for 
had  you  been  trained  to  it  all  your  life  you  could  not  have 
followed  the  scent  up  more  unerringly." 

"  I  will  certainly  go  with  you,  Mr.  Henderson,  and  I  will 
be  at  the  court-house.  I  would  start  at  once  for  the  hills,  but 
I  have  had  nothing  to  eat  this  morning,  and,  what  is  much 


FOLLOWING   A   TRAIL  97 

more  important,  I  want  to  ease  my  aunt's  mind.  Of  course, 
she  was  as  certain  as  I  was  that  Julian  had  nothing  whatever 
to  do  with  this,  but  naturally  it  will  be  an  immense  relief  to 
her  to  know  that  the  suspicion  of  so  dreadful  a  crime  no  longer 
rests  on  him." 

When  Frank  returned  home  he  found  that  Mrs.  Troutbeck 
was  so  prostrated  with  the  shock  that  she  was  still  in  bed, 
where  the  doctor  had  ordered  her  to  remain.  As  soon,  how- 
ever, as  she  heard  that  Frank  was  back,  she  sent  down  for  him 
to  come  up.  Her  delight  was  extreme  when  he  told  her  of 
the  discoveries  he  had  made,  and  that  the  constables  had  no 
doubt  the  warrant  for  Julian's  arrest  would  be  withdrawn.  She 
became  anxious  again  when  she  found  that  Frank  could  give 
no  satisfactory  explanation  of  his  long  absence. 

"  I  would  not  trouble  about  it,  Aunt,"  he  said,  soothingly; 
"  no  doubt  we  shall  hear  of  him  before  long.  Let  us  be  con- 
tent that  he  has  come  well  out  of  this  terrible  accusation,  just 
as  he  did  from  the  former  charge,  and  let  us  hope  that  the  ex- 
planation of  his  absence  will  be  just  as  satisfactory  when  we 
hear  it.  Even  if  I  thought  that  Julian  had  got  into  any  trouble, 
it  would  be  infinitely  easier  to  bear  than  a  knowledge  that  he 
was  suspected  of  murder,  for  it  would  have  been  murder,  Aunt. 
I  heard  just  now  that  Faulkner  died  last  night." 

The  meeting  of  magistrates  was  an  informal  one,  as  they 
agreed,  directly  they  heard  that  Julian  was  not  in  custody, 
that  they  could  proceed  no  further  in  the  matter.  Mr.  Hen- 
derson, after  answering  their  first  question,  followed  them 
into  their  private  room. 

"So  you  did  not  lay  hands  on  him  last  night,"  Colonel 
Chambers  said.  "  We  shall  have  to  alter  the  warrant,  for  I 
find  that  Mr.  Faulkner  is  dead." 

"  I  think,  gentlemen,"  the  chief  constable  said  quietly, 
"  that  after  you  have  heard  what  I  have  to  tell,  you  will  have 
to  withdraw  the  warrant  altogether." 


98  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  Eh  !  what?  Do  you  mean  to  say,  Henderson,  that  you 
think  the  young  fellow  did  not  fire  the  shot  after  all  ?  I  would 
give  a  hundred  pounds  if  I  could  think  so,  but,  with  Faulk- 
ner's deposition  before  us,  I  don't  see  how  there  can  be  any 
possible  doubt  in  the  matter.  Besides,  I  was  present  when  he 
gave  it,  and  though  it  may  have  been  coloured  a  good  deal  by 
his  feeling  against  young  Wyatt,  I  am  convinced  that  he  be- 
lieved, at  any  rate,  that  he  was  speaking  the  truth." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  he  did,  sir,  and  I  had  no  more  doubt 
than  you  have  as  to  Mr.  Wyatt's  guilt;  indeed,  until  his 
brother  pointed  out  one  very  important  fact,  nothing  would 
have  persuaded  me  that  he  did  not  fire  the  shot.  I  don't  say 
that  it  was  at  all  conclusive,  but  it  sufficed  to  show  that  the 
matter  was  by  no  means  so  certain  as  it  seemed  to  be.  I 
found  him  at  the  house  when  I  went  there  to  arrest  his  brother. 
Of  course,  the  young  fellow  was  greatly  shocked  when  I  told 
him  the  nature  of  the  charge,  and  declared  it  to  be  absolutely 
impossible.  So  certain  was  he,  that  even  when  I  told  him 
the  nature  of  Mr.  Faulkner's  depositions,  he  was  more  puzzled 
than  alarmed.  The  first  question  he  asked  was  whether  Mr. 
Faulkner  had  been  killed  by  shot  or  by  a  ball.  When  I  said 
by  a  ball  his  face  cleared  up  altogether.  His  brother,  he 
said,  and  as  we  know,  had  been  rabbit-shooting  at  Mr.  Merry- 
weather's.  He  would  have  had  small  shot  with  him,  but 
young  Wyatt  said  that  he  did  not  think  his  brother  had  ever 
fired  a  bullet  in  his  life.  He  knew  there  was  not  such  a  thing 
as  a  bullet  in  the  house.  Mr.  Wyatt  could  not  possibly  have 
known  that  he  was  likely  to  meet  Mr.  Faulkner  on  his  way 
back  from  shooting,  and  therefore,  unless  upon  the  rather  im- 
probable theory  that  he  went  about  with  the  intention  of 
shooting  Mr.  Faulkner  whenever  he  met  him,  and  that  he  had 
bought  a  bullet  in  the  town  and  carried  it  always  about  with 
him  for  the  purpose,  it  was  clear  that  he  could  not  have  fired 
that  shot." 


FOLLOWING    A   TRAIL  99 

"There  is  something  in  that,  Mr.  Henderson.  A  good 
deal  in  it,  I  am  ready  to  admit,  but  nothing  that  would  really 
counteract  the  effect  .of  Faulkner's  direct  testimony,  given 
when  he  knew  that  he  was  dying." 

"  No,  sir  ;  still  it  is  a  point  that  I  own  I  had  entirely  over- 
looked ;  however,  that  is  not  now  so  important.  I  will  now 
tell  you  what  has  taken  place  this  morning." 

And  he  then  related  the  story  of  the  discovery  of  the  tracks, 
that  proved  that  Julian  had  not  gone  near  the  tree  behind 
which  the  murderer  had  for  some  time  been  standing,  and 
how,  after  running  in  and  finding  Mr.  Faulkner's  body,  he 
had  set  out  in  pursuit  of  the  scoundrel. 

"  I  have  the  two  constables  outside  who  were  with  me, 
Colonel,  and  if  you  like  to  question  them,  they  will,  I  am 
sure,  confirm  my  statement  in  all  respects." 

"  I  am  glad  indeed  to  hear  your  story,  Mr.  Henderson," 
Colonel  Chambers  said  warmly.  "The  lad's  father  was  an 
old  friend  of  mine,  and  it  was  terrible  to  think  that  his  son 
could  have  committed  such  a  dastardly  crime.  What  you  say 
seems  to  me  quite  conclusive  of  his  innocence,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  is  not  in  any  way  in  contradiction  with  the  deposi- 
tion. I  give  you  very  great  credit  for  the  manner  in  which 
you  have  unravelled  this  mystery." 

"  The  credit,  sir,  is  entirely  due  to  Mr.  Wyatt's  brother. 
He  had  formed  the  theory  that,  as  in  his  opinion  his  brother 
was  certainly  innocent  of  the  crime,  the  only  possible  way  in 
which  he  could  account  for  his  absence  from  home  that  night 
was  that,  upon  hearing  the  gun  fired  so  close  at  hand,  Mr. 
Wyatt  had  at  once  run  to  the  spot,  found  the  body  of  Mr. 
Faulkner,  and  had  then  immediately  started  in  pursuit  of  the 
murderer.  Setting  out  with  me  on  the  search  with  this  theory 
strongly  fixed  in  his  mind,  young  Wyatt  seized  at  once  every 
point  that  confirmed  it,  and  pointed  out  to  me  that  the  man 
with  heavy  boots  had  crossed  the  fields  at  a  run,  and  that  the 


100  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

other  had  followed  as  soon  as  he  came  upon  the  footprints 
after  searching  for  them  up  and  down  by  the  edge  of  the 
wood.  Once  we  had  got  this  clue  to  follow  up,  the  matter 
was  then  plain  enough.  The  search  through  the  wood  showed 
us  the  whole  circumstances  of  the  case,  as  I  have  related  them 
to  you,  just  as  plainly  as  if  we  had  witnessed  the  affair.  But 
if  I  had  not  been  set  upon  the  right  trail,  I  say  honestly  that 
I  doubt  whether  I  should  have  unravelled  it,  especially  as  the 
snow  is  rapidly  going,  and  by  this  afternoon  the  footprints 
will  have  disappeared." 

"Well,  as  a  matter  of  form,  we  will  take  down  your 
statement,  Mr.  Henderson,  and  then  take  those  of  the 
constables. ' ' 

"Young  Mr.  Wyatt  is  outside,  if  you  would  like  to  hear 
him,  sir." 

"  Certainly  we  will,"  the  Colonel  said.  "  He  must  be  a 
wonderfully  shrewd  young  fellow,  and  I  think  we  ought  to 
take  his  statement,  if  only  to  record  the  part  he  played  in 
proving  his  brother's  innocence.  But  where  is  the  brother, 
Mr.  Henderson  ;  hasn't  he  come  back  yet?  " 

"No,  sir;  and  I  own  that  I  regard  his  absence  as  alarm- 
ing. You  see  the  murderer,  whoever  he  is,  was  armed  with 
a  rifle,  or  at  any  rate  with  a  gun  that  carried  bullets,  while 
Mr.  Wyatt  had  only  a  shot  gun.  Such  a  fellow  would 
certainly  not  suffer  himself  to  be  arrested  without  a  struggle, 
and  when  he  found  that  he  was  being  followed  across  the 
hills,  would  be  likely  enough  to  shoot  down  his  pursuer 
without  letting  him  get  close  enough  to  use  his  fowling- 
piece.  I  have  sent  two  constables  up  to  inquire  of  the 
coast-guard  men  along  the  cliffs  whether  they  observed  any 
man  with  a  gun  crossing  the  hills  yesterday  afternoon,  and 
whether  they  heard  a  gun  fired.  As  soon  as  you  have  before 
you  the  statements  of  the  constables  who  were  with  me  this 
morning,  I  intend  to  take  them  and  two  others  and  start 


FOLLOWING   A   TRAIL  101 

myself  for  a  search  over  the  hills,  and  I  am  very  much  afraid 
that  we  shall  come  upon  Mr.  Wyatt's  body." 

"  I  sincerely  hope  not,"  Colonel  Chambers  said;  "  but  I 
own  that  I  can  see  no  other  way  for  accounting  for  his 
absence.  Well,  if  you  will  call  the  clerk  in,  he  will  take 
down  your  statement  at  once.  What  do  you  think,  Harring- 
ton ?  It  seems  to  me  that  when  we  have  got  the  four  state- 
ments we  shall  be  fully  justified  in  withdrawing  the  warrant 
against  young  Wyatt." 

"  I  quite  think  so,  Colonel.  You  see,  the  facts  will  all 
come  out  at  the  coroner's  inquest,  and,  when  they  do  so,  I 
think  there  will  be  a  good  deal  of  strong  feeling  in  the  place 
if  it  is  found  that  young  Wyatt  has  been  killed  while  bravely 
trying  to  capture  Faulkner's  murderer,  while  at  the  same  time 
our  warrant  for  his  apprehension  for  the  murder  was  still  in 
force." 

"  Yes,  there  is  a  good  deal  in  that,  Harrington.  If  Faulk- 
ner had  not  died  I  think  that  it  would  have  been  best  merely 
to  hold  the  warrant  over  in  order  that  when  Wyatt  comes 
back,  if  he  ever  does  come  back,  all  these  facts  might  be 
proved  publicly;  now  that  will  all  be  done  before  the 
coroner. ' ' 

The  statements  of  Mr.  Henderson  and  the  two  constables 
were  taken  down.  Frank  was  then  called  in. 

"I  congratulate  you  most  heartily  upon  the  innocence  of 
your  brother  having  been,  to  our  minds,  so  conclusively 
proved,  and,  as  Mr.  Henderson  tells  us,  chiefly  owing  to  your 
shrewdness  in  the  matter.  Before  you  begin,  you  can  repeat 
your  opinion  about  the  bullet  that  you  pointed  out  to  the 
chief  constable  last  night,  in  order  that  the  point  may  be 
included  in  your  statement.  After  that  you  can  tell  us  the 
story  of  your  search  in  the  wood." 

When  Frank  had  finished,  Colonel  Chambers  said  :  "This 
is  a  very  awkward  thing  about  your  brother's  disappearance, 


102  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

While  giving  him  the  fullest  credit  for  his  courage  in  follow- 
ing a  desperate  man  armed  with  a  rifle,  it  was  certainly  a 
rash  undertaking,  and  I  fear  that  he  may  have  come  to 
harm." 

"  I  don't  suppose  when  he  started,  that  it  was  so  much  the 
idea  of  capturing  the  man,  Julian  had  in  his  mind,  as  of 
seeing  who  he  was.  Had  my  brother  come  back  with  only 
the  statement  that  some  man  unknown  had  shot  Mr.  Faulkner, 
his  story  might  not  have  been  credited.  Certainly,  in  the 
teeth  of  Mr.  Faulkner's  depositions,  it  would  not  have  been 
believed  when  there  was  no  evidence  to  support  it.  Still,  I 
don't  suppose  it  had  even  entered  Julian's  mind  that  any  sus- 
picion could  possibly  fall  upon  him.  I  am  greatly  afraid  that 
he  has  been  killed  or  badly  hurt ;  if  not,  I  can  see  but  one 
possible  way  of  accounting  for  his  absence.  Mr.  Faulkner 
was  extremely  active  in  the  pursuit  of  smugglers,  and  had,  we 
know,  received  many  threatening  letters.  If  the  man  was  a 
smuggler,  as  seems  to  me  likely,  he  may  have  gone  to  some 
place  where  he  had  comrades  awaiting  him,  and,  Julian  pur- 
suing him,  may  have  been  seized  and  made  prisoner.  You 
see,  sir,  he  knew  many  of  them,  and,  after  the  affair  the  other 
day,  was  probably  regarded  as  a  friend,  and  they  may  hold 
him  in  their  keeping  only  until  the  man  who  fired  the  shot 
can  get  safely  out  of  reach." 

"I  hope  that  this  may  prove  so  indeed,"  the  magistrate 
said.  "It  is  at  any  rate  possible.  And  now  we  will  detain 
you  no  longer,  for  Mr.  Henderson  told  me  that  you  were  go- 
ing to  accompany  them  in  their  search  among  the  hills.  I  see 
that  it  is  just  beginning  to  snow,  which  will,  I  fear,  add  to 
your  difficulties." 

For  gome  days  an  active  search  was  maintained,  but  no 
trace  was  discovered  of  Julian  Wyatt,  or  of  the  man  whom  he 
had  followed.  From  inquiries  that  had  been  instituted  in  the 
town,  the  chief  constable  had  learned  that  the  man  Markham, 


A    COMMISSION  103 

who  had  a  few  weeks  before  returned  after  serving  out  his  sen- 
tence for  poaching  in  Mr.  Faulkner's  preserves,  had  disap- 
peared from  his  lodgings  on  the  day  of  the  murder  and  had  not 
returned.  As  he  was  known  to  have  uttered  many  threats 
against  the  magistrate,  a  warrant  was  issued  for  his  arrest  on 
the  day  after  the  coroner's  jury,  having  heard  the  whole  of  the 
evidence,  brought  in  a  verdict  that  Mr.  Faulkner  had  been 
wilfully  murdered  by  a  person  or  persons  unknown. 


CHAPTER  VI 

A    COMMISSION 

ABOUT  a  week  after  the  coroner's  inquest,  the  servant  one 
evening  brought  in  a  letter  that  had  been  left  at  the  door 
by  a  man  who  looked  like  a  fisherman.  Frank  gave  a  shout  of 
joy  as  he  glanced  at  the  address. 

"It  is  Julian's  handwriting,  Aunt,"  he  shouted,  and  then 
exclaimed,  as  Mrs.  Troutbeck,  who  was  on  the  sofa,  gave  a  low 
cry  and  fell  back  fainting,  "  What  an  ass  I  am  to  blurt  it  out 
like  that  !  "  Then  he  rang  the  bell  with  a  vigour  that  brought 
down  the  rope.  "  Here,  Mary,"  he  exclaimed,  as  the  servant 
re-appeared  at  the  door  with  a  scared  face,  "  Aunt  has  fainted  ; 
do  what  you  can  for  her.  I  will  run  round  for  the  doctor  di- 
rectly ;  but  I  must  look  at  this  letter  first.  It  is  from  Mr. 
Julian." 

"  Lor',  sir,  that  is  good  news  !  "  the  girl  exclaimed,  as  she 
hurried  across  to  her  mistress.  After  the  custom  of  her  class, 
she  had  hitherto  looked  upon  the  matter  in  the  darkest  possible 
light,  and  had  joined  in  the  general  conviction  that  Julian  had 
been  killed. 

Julian's  letter  was  written  on  board  the  smuggler. 

"  My  dear  Frank,  I  am  afraid  you  must  all  have  been  in  $ 


104  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

horrible  fright  about  me,  and  no  wonder.  I  am  a  most  un- 
fortunate fellow,  and  seem  to  be  always  putting  my  foot  in  it, 
and  yet  really  I  don't  think  I  was  to  blame  about  this.  In 
the  first  place,  I  may  tell  you  that  I  am  on  board  a  French 
smuggler,  that  we  have  just  entered  the  Loire,  and  that  in  a 
few  hours  shall  be  at  Nantes.  The  smugglers  will  bring  this 
letter  back  to  England,  and  as  they  say  they  shall  probably 
sail  again  a  few  days  after  they  get  in,  I  hope  it  will  not  be 
very  long  before  it  comes  to  hand.  And  now  as  to  how  I  got 
here. ' ' 

Julian  then  related  the  story  of  the  quarrel  with  Mr.  Faulk- 
ner, of  hearing  the  gun  fired,  of  running  in  and  finding  the 
body,  and  of  his  pursuit  of  the  murderer. 

"After  a  long  tramp  on  the  hills  he  took  to  a  place  of 
hiding.  I  am  bound  by  oath  to  afford  no  clue  as  to  where 
that  place  is,  and  can  only  say  that  upon  my  following  him 
in,  I  was  pounced  upon  by  some  French  smugglers  who  were 
there  with  him,  and  trussed  up  like  a  fowl.  Then  there  was 
a  discussion  what  to  do  with  me,  in  which  the  man  I  had 
been  following  joined.  Of  course  I  did  not  understand  the 
language,  but  I  could  see  that  the  smugglers  were  in  favour  of 
cutting  my  throat  for  having  discovered  their  hiding-place, 
and  that  the  man  himself  was,  contrary  to  what  I  should  have 
expected,  arguing  in  my  favour.  He  had  been  a  smuggler  as 
well  as  a  poacher,  but  although  he  had  murdered  Mr.  Faulk- 
ner, and  knew  that  I  had  pursued  him  for  that  crime,  he 
undoubtedly  saved  my  life.  They  first  made  me  take  an 
oath  not  to  reveal  their  hiding-place,  and  then  said  that  they 
should  carry  me  over  to  France,  and  would  take  steps  so  that 
I  should  not  return  to  England  for  some  years. 

"  What  those  steps  will  be  I  cannot  say,  but  I  feel  sure  that 
they  will  in  some  way  prevent  my  coming  back  for  a  long 
time.  They  can't  keep  me  themselves,  but  may  hand  me 
over  as  a  prisoner  to  the  French  authorities.  Before  we  sailed 


A    COMMISSION  105 

the  man  told  me  he  had  learnt  that  a  warrant  was  out  against 
me  for  the  murder  of  Faulkner,  and  that  Faulkner  had  de- 
clared it  was  I  who  shot  him.  If  I  could  possibly  have 
escaped  I  would  have  come  back  to  stand  my  trial,  though  I 
can  see  plainly  enough  that  it  might  go  very  hard  with  me, 
for  there  would  be  only  my  word,  which  would  go  for 
nothing  against  Faulkner's  accusation,  and  the  fact  of  our 
quarrel.  However,  I  would  have  come  rather  than  disappear 
with  this  awful  charge  against  me.  The  man  has  given  me 
permission,  not  only  to  write  and  tell  you  this  story,  but  even 
to  give  you  his  name,  which  is  Joseph  Markham.  He  had 
only  been  a  short  time  out  of  prison,  where  he  had  been  sent 
for  poaching,  and  he  killed  Faulkner  simply  for  revenge.  He 
told  me  that  he  did  not  mind  my  getting  his  name  as,  in  the 
first  place,  he  had  no  idea  of  returning  to  Weymouth,  and 
intended  making  France  his  home ;  and,  in  the  second  place, 
because,  although  you  might  believe  my  story,  no  one  else 
would,  and  even  if  he  showed  himself  in  Weymouth,  this  let- 
ter, written  by  a  man  accused  of  the  murder,  would  not  be  ac- 
cepted for  a  moment  against  him.  However,  there  is  no  doubt 
that  the  fellow  has  behaved  extremely  well  to  me,  and  I  should 
be  sorry  to  get  him  into  trouble  over  this  business  with  Faulk- 
ner, which  is  no  affair  of  mine. 

"You  can,  of  course,  show  this  letter  to  whom  you  like, 
but  I  don't  expect  anyone  except  you  and  Aunt  to  believe  it. 
I  have  hopes  of  being  cleared  some  day,  for  Markham  has 
promised  me  to  write  out  a  full  confession  of  his  shooting 
Faulkner,  and  to  swear  to  it  before  a  French  magistrate.  He 
is  going  to  write  it  in  duplicate,  and  carry  one  copy  about 
with  him,  directed  to  Colonel  Chambers,  or  the  senior  magis- 
trate at  Weymouth,  and  to  send  the  other  copy  to  someone 
at  home,  who  will  produce  it  in  case  of  his  death  in  France, 
or  by  drowning  at  sea.  I  do  not  think  that,  if  I  get  away, 
I  shall  return  to  England  until  I  hear  of  his  death.  I  am 


106  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

awfully  sorry  for  you,  old  fellow,  and  for  Aunt.  But  with 
this  frightful  accusation  hanging  over  me,  I  don't  think  your 
position  would  be  better  if  I  were  to  come  back  and  be  hung 
for  murder ;  and  I  see  myself  that  the  case  is  so  strong  against 
me  that  it  would  almost  certainly  come  to  that  if  they  laid 
hands  on  me.  I  am  specially  sorry  that  this  trouble  should 
corne  upon  you  now,  just  as  you  were  going  to  try  to  get  a 
commission,  for  of  course  they  could  hardly  give  one  to  a 
fellow  whose  brother  is  accused  of  murder,  and  if  they  did, 
your  position  in  the  army  would  be  intolerable.  Now,  good- 
bye, dear  old  Frank  ;  give  my  fond  love  to  Aunt,  who  has 
always  been  too  good  to  me.  If  I  get  an  opportunity  I  will 
write  again,  but  I  hardly  fancy  that  I  shall  get  a  chance  to  do 
so,  as,  even  if  I  were  free  to  write  I  don't  see  how  letters  can 
be  sent  from  France  except  through  smugglers.  God  bless 
you,  old  fellow. 

"  Your  unfortunate  brother, 

"JULIAN." 

Happily,  by  the  time  he  had  finished  reading  the  letter,  the 
servant  had  succeeded  in  restoring  Mrs.  Troutbeck. 

"  It  is  exactly  what  we  thought,  Aunt.  Julian  was  seized 
by  smugglers,  and  has  been  taken  over  to  France,  and  I  am 
afraid  it  will  be  some  time  before  he  gets  back  again,  especially 
as  he  believes  that  this  charge  is  hanging  over  him.  I  won't 
read  you  the  letter  now,  but  to-morrow  when  you  are  strong 
enough  you  shall  read  it  yourself.  I  must  take  it  the  first 
thing  in  the  morning  to  Colonel  Chambers,  who  will,  I  am 
sure,  be  very  glad  to  hear  that  Julian  is  safe,  for  I  know  that 
he  thinks  he  was  shot  by  the  man  he  pursued.  He  will  be  in- 
terested, too,  and  so  will  Mr.  Henderson,  at  seeing  how  exactly 
we  were  right  in  the  conclusions  we  arrived  at." 

Mrs.  Troutbeck  was  quite  satisfied  with  the  explanation, 
and  was  at  once  taken  up  to  bed  by  the  servant,  while  Frank, 


A   COMMISSION  107 

seeing  that  it  was  as  yet  but  eight  o'clock,  put  on  his  cap  and 
ran  to  Mr.  Henderson's.  The  latter  was  at  home,  and  re- 
ceived with  great  pleasure  the  news  that  Julian  was  alive.  He 
read  the  letter  through  attentively. 

"  If  we  had  seen  the  whole  thing  happen,  we  could  not  have 
been  closer  than  we  were  in  our  conclusion  as  to  how  it  all 
came  about.  Well,  the  news  that  it  is  Markham  who  shot 
Mr.  Faulkner  does  not  surprise  me,  for,  as  you  know,  I  have 
already  a  warrant  out  against  him  on  the  charge.  I  fear  that 
there  is  little  chance  that  we  shall  lay  hands  on  him  now,  for 
he  will  doubtless  learn  from  some  of  his  associates  here  of  the 
evidence  given  at  the  coroner's  inquest,  and  that  your  brother 
has  been  proved  altogether  innocent  of  the  crime.  I  can  un- 
derstand that,  believing,  as  he  did,  the  evidence  against  Mr. 
Wyatt  to  be  overwhelming,  he  had  no  great  objection  to  his 
giving  his  name  ;  for,  as  the  matter  then  stood,  your  brother's 
story  would  only  have  been  regarded  as  the  attempt  of  a 
guilty  man  to  fix  the  blame  of  his  crime  on  another.  As  it 
has  turned  out,  the  letter  is  a  piece  of  important  evidence  that 
might  be  produced  against  Markham,  for  all  the  statements  in 
it  tally  with  the  facts  we  have  discovered  for  ourselves.  Still 
I  congratulate  you  most  heartily.  I  certainly  thought  that 
your  brother  had  been  murdered,  though  our  efforts  to  find 
any  traces  of  the  crime  have  failed  altogether.  I  am  afraid, 
as  he  says,  it  will  be  a  long  time  before  he  manages  to  get 
away  ;  still,  that  is  a  comparatively  unimportant  matter,  and 
all  that  I  can  hope  is  that  this  fellow  Markham  will  come  to  a 
speedy  end.  Of  course  you  will  show  this  letter  to  everyone, 
for  now  that  nobody  believes  for  a  moment  that  your  brother 
was  Mr.  Faulkner's  murderer,  everyone  will  be  glad  to  hear 
that  the  mystery  is  cleared  up,  and  that  he  is  simply  in  France 
instead  of  being,  as  all  supposed,  buried  in  some  hole  where 
his  body  would  never  be  discovered. 

"  All  that  can  possibly  be  said  against  him  now  js  that  he 


108  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

behaved  rashly  in  following  a  desperate  man  instead  of  coming 
back  to  us  for  assistance;  but  I  quite  see  that,  under  the  cir- 
cumstance of  his  relations  with  the  magistrate,  he  was  doubly 
anxious  to  bring  the  latter's  murderer  to  justice,  and,  as  we 
now  know,  the  latter  would  certainly  have  got  away  unsus- 
pected had  your  brother  not  acted  as  he  did." 

Colonel  Chambers  was  equally  pleased  when  Frank  called 
upon  him  the  next  morning,  and  begged  him,  after  showing 
the  letter  to  his  friends,  to  hand  it  over  to  him  for  safe  keeping, 
as,  in  the  event  of  Markham  ever  being  arrested,  it  would  be 
valuable,  if  not  as  evidence,  as  affording  assistance  to  the  pros- 
ecution. 

"  Do  you  think,  Colonel  Chambers,  that  they  will  be  able 
to  keep  Julian  away  for  a  long  time  ?  ' ' 

"  If  his  supposition  is  a  correct  one,  and  they  intend  to 
hand  him  over  to  the  French  authorities  as  a  prisoner  of  war, 
it  may  be  a  long  time  before  you  hear  of  him.  There  are 
many  towns  all  over  France  where  English  prisoners  are  con- 
fined, and  it  would  be  practically  impossible  to  find  out  where 
he  is,  or  to  obtain  his  release  if  you  did  find  out,  while  the 
two  nations  are  at  war.  There  are  very  few  exchanges  made, 
and  the  chances  of  his  being  among  them  would  be  very  small. 
However,  lad,  things  might  have  been  a  great  deal  worse. 
This  tremendous  war  cannot  go  on  for  ever.  Your  brother  is 
strong  and  healthy  ;  he  seems  to  be,  from  all  I  hear,  just  the 
sort  of  fellow  who  would  take  things  easily,  and  although  the 
lot  of  prisoners  of  war,  whether  in  England  or  France,  cannot 
be  called  a  pleasant  one,  he  has  a  fairer  chance  than  most,  of 
going  through  it  unharmed. 

"The  experience  may  be  of  benefit  to  him.  Of  course, 
when  this  matter  first  began,  I  made  close  enquiries  in  several 
quarters  as  to  his  character  and  habits.  I  need  not  say  that 
I  heard  nothing  whatever  against  him  ;  but  there  was  a  sort  of 
consensus  of  opinion  that  it  was  a  pity  that  he  had  not  some 


A   COMMISSION  109 

pursuit  or  occupation.  As  you  know,  he  mixed  himself  up  to 
some  extent  with  smugglers,  he  spent  his  evenings  frequently 
in  billiard-rooms,  and  altogether,  though  there  was  nothing 
absolutely  against  him,  it  was  clear  that  he  was  doing  himself 
no  good. ' ' 

"  He  had  given  up  the  billiard -table,"  Frank  said.  "  He 
promised  me  that  he  would  not  go  there  any  more,  and  I  am 
sure  he  wouldn't." 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  it,  lad  ;  still  I  think  that  this  experi- 
ence will  do  him  good  rather  than  harm.  He  was  a  kindly, 
good-tempered,  easy-going  young  fellow,  a  little  deficient, 
perhaps,  in  strength  of  will,  but  very  generally  liked,  and  with 
the  making  of  a  fine  man  about  him ;  and  yet  he  was  likely, 
from  sheer  easiness  of  temper  and  disinclination  to  settle  down 
to  anything,  to  drift  with  the  stream  till  he  ruined  his  life. 
That  is  how  I  read  his  character  from  what  I  have  heard  of 
him,  and  that  being  so,  I  think  this  complete  break  in  his  life 
may  ultimately  be  of  considerable  benefit  to  him. ' ' 

"  Perhaps  it  will,  sir.  A  better  brother  never  lived,  but  he 
may  have  been  too  ready  to  fall  in  with  other  people's  views. 
I  think  that  it  was  a  very  great  pity  that  he  did  not  apply  for 
a  commission  in  the  army." 

"A  great  pity,"  Colonel  Chambers  agreed.  "  A  young 
fellow  who  will  start  in  pursuit  of  a  desperate  man  who  is 
armed  with  a  gun,  would  be  the  sort  of  fellow  to  lead  a  for- 
lorn hope.  And  what  are  you  going  to  do,  Frank?  " 

"lam  going  to  try  and  get  a  commission,  sir,  now  that 
Julian  is  completely  cleared.  I  shall  set  about  it  at  once.  I 
am  sixteen  now.  Colonel  Wilson,  with  whom  my  father 
served  in  Spain,  wrote  at  his  death,  and  said  that  if  either  of 
us  wished  for  a  commission,  he  would,  when  the  time  came, 
use  his  influence  to  get  him  one,  and  that  after  father's  services 
he  was  sure  there  would  be  no  difficulty  about  it." 

"  None  whatever.      Colonel  Wyatt's  sons  have  almost   a 


110  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

right  to  a  commission.  If  you  will  write  to  Sir  Robert  Wil- 
son at  once,  and  let  me  know  when  you  get  his  reply,  I  will 
write  to  a  friend  at  the  Horse-guards  and  get  him  to  back  up 
the  request  as  soon  as  it  is  sent  in." 

Three  weeks  later  Frank  received  an  official  document,  in- 
forming him  that  he  had  been  gazetted  to  the  i5th  Light  Dra- 
goons, and  was  to  join  the  depot  of  his  regiment  at  Canterbury 
immediately.  Mrs.  Troutbeck  had  been  consulted  by  Frank 
before  he  wrote  to  Colonel  Sir  R.  Wilson.  As  it  had,  since 
Julian  decided  not  to  enter  the  army,  been  a  settled  thing 
that  Frank  should  apply  for  a  commission,  she  had  offered  no 
objection. 

"It  is  only  right,  my  dear,"  she  said,  with  tears  in  her  eyes 
and  a  little  break  in  her  voice,  "  that  one  of  my  dear  brother's 
sons  should  follow  in  his  footsteps.  I  know  that  he  always 
wished  you  both  to  join  the  army,  and  as  Julian  had  no  fancy 
for  it,  I  am  glad  that  you  should  go.  Of  course  it  will  be  a 
trial,  a  great  trial  to  me  ;  but  a  young  man  must  go  on  his 
own  path,  and  it  would  be  wrong  indeed  for  an  old  woman 
like  me  to  stand  in  his  way." 

"  I  don't  know,  Aunt,  that  it  is  so.  That  is  my  only  doubt 
about  applying  for  the  commission.  I  can't  help  thinking 
that  it  is  my  duty  to  stay  with  you  until  Julian  comes 
back. ' ' 

"  Not  at  all,  Frank.  It  would  make  me  much  more  un- 
happy seeing  you  wasting  your  life  here,  than  in  knowing  you 
were  following  the  course  you  had  marked  for  yourself.  I 
shall  do  very  well.  Mary  is  a  very  good  and  attentive  girl, 
and  I  shall  get  another  in  to  do  most  of  her  work,  so  that  she 
can  sit  with  me  and  be  a  sort  of  companion.  Then,  you 
know,  there  are  very  few  afternoons  that  one  or  other  of  my 
friends  do  not  come  in  for  an  hour  for  a  gossip  or  I  go  in  to 
them.  I  take  a  good  deal  of  blame  to  myself  for  all  this  trouble 
that  has  come  to  Julian.  I  think  that  if,  three  years  ago,  I 


A   COMMISSION  111 

had  pressed  it  upon  him  that  he  ought  to  go  into  the  army,  he 
would  have  done  so ;  but  certainly  anything  that  I  did  say 
was  rather  the  other  way,  and  since  he  has  gone  I  see  how 
wrong  I  was,  and  I  certainly  won't  repeat  the  mistake  with 
you.  Even  now  Julian  may  come  back  long  before  you  go.  I 
don't  mean  before  you  go  away  from  here,  but  before  you  go 
out  to  join  your  regiment,  wherever  that  may  be.  You  are 
sure  to  be  a  few  months  at  the  depot,  and  you  know  we  have 
agreed  to  write  letters  to  Julian,  telling  him  that  the  matter  is 
all  cleared  up,  and  that  everyone  knows  he  had  nothing  to  do 
with  the  murder,  so  of  course  he  will  try  to  escape  as  soon  as 
he  gets  one  of  them." 

"  Yes,  when  he  gets  one,  Aunt.  I  will  give  the  letters  to 
men  who  are,  I  know,  connected  with  the  smugglers,  and  pos- 
sibly they  may  be  taken  over,  but  that  is  a  very  different  thing 
from  his  getting  them.  We  may  be  sure  that  the  smugglers 
who  have  taken  Julian  over  will  not  trouble  themselves  about 
detaining  him.  They  would  never  go  to  all  the  bother  of 
keeping  and  watching  him  for  years.  If  they  keep  him  at  all 
it  will  be  on  board  their  craft,  but  that  would  be  a  constant 
trouble,  and  they  would  know  that  sooner  or  later  he  would 
be  able  to  make  his  escape.  If  they  have  handed  him  over  to 
the  French  authorities  he  may  have  been  taken  to  a  prison 
hundreds  of  miles  from  Nantes,  and  the  smugglers  would  not 
know  where  he  was  and  would  be  unable  to  send  a  letter  to  him. 
No,  Aunt,  I  feel  confident  that  Julian  will  come  home,  but  I 
am  afraid  that  it  will  be  a  long  time  first,  for  as  to  his  escap- 
ing from  prison,  there  is  no  chance  whatever  of  it.  There  are 
numbers  of  English  officers  there  ;  many  of  them  must  be  able 
to  speak  French  well,  and  the  naval  officers  are  able  to  climb 
ropes  and  things  of  that  sort  that  Julian  could  not  do.  It  is 
very  rare  indeed  that  any  of  them,  even  with  these  advantages, 
make  their  escape,  and  therefore  I  cannot  hope  that  Julian  will 
be  able  to  do  so. ' ' 


112  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  Well,  then,  my  dear,  I  must  wait  patiently  until  he  does. 
I  only  hope  that  I  may  be  spared  to  see  him  back  again." 

"  I  am  sure  I  hope  so,  Aunt.  Why  should  you  always  call 
yourself  an  old  woman?  when  you  know  that  you  are  not 
old  in  years.  Why,  you  said  last  birthday  that  you  were  fifty- 
nine,  and  it  is  only  because  you  are  such  a  hand  at  staying 
indoors,  and  live  such  a  quiet  life,  that  it  makes  you  think 
yourself  old.  I  should  think  this  war  won't  last  very  much 
longer.  If  it  does  all  the  men  in  Europe  will  be  used  up. 
Of  course,  as  soon  as  peace  is  made  Julian  will  be  sent  home 
again." 

The  same  day  that  the  post  brought  Frank  the  news  of  his 
commission,  it  brought  a  letter  from  Colonel  Wilson  saying  that 
he  was  at  present  in  town,  and  giving  him  a  warm  invitation 
to  come  up  and  stay  with  him  for  a  week,  while  he  procured 
his  necessary  outfit.  A  fortnight  later  Frank  arrived  in  town 
and  drove  to  Buckingham  Street,  where  Colonel  Wilson  was 
lodging.  He  received  fxank  very  kindly,  and  when  the  lad 
would  have  renewed  the  thanks  he  had  expressed  in  the  letter 
he  had  written  on  receiving  the  news  of  his  having  obtained 
his  commission,  the  Colonel  said  : 

"  It  was  a  duty  as  well  as  a  pleasure.  Your  father  saved 
my  life  at  Aboukir.  I  had  been  unhorsed  and  was  guarding 
myself  as  well  as  I  could  against  four  French  cuirassiers,  who 
were  slashing  away  at  me,  when  your  father  rode  into  the 
middle  of  them,  cut  one  down  and  wounded  a  second,  which 
gave  me  time  to  snatch  a  pistol  from  the  holster  of  my  fallen 
horse  and  to  dispose  of  a  third,  when  the  other  rode  off. 
Your  father  got  a  severe  sabre  wound  on  the  arm  and  a  slash 
across  the  face.  Of  course,  you  remember  the  scar.  So  you 
see  the  least  I  could  do,  was  to  render  his  son  any  service  in 
my  power.  I  managed  to  get  you  gazetted  to  my  old  regi- 
ment, that  is  to  say,  my  first  regiment,  for  I  have  served  in 
several.  I  thought,  in  the  first  place,  my  introduction  would 


A    COMMISSION  113 

to  some  extent  put  you  at  home  there.  In  the  second,  a 
cavalry  man  has  the  advantage  over  one  in  a  marching  regi- 
ment that  he  learns  to  ride  well,  and  is  more  eligible  for  staff 
appointments.  As  you  know,  I  myself  have  done  a  great 
deal  of  what  we  call  detached  service,  and  it  is  probable  that 
I  may  in  the  future  have  similar  appointments,  and,  if  so,  I 
may  have  an  opportunity  of  taking  you  with  me  as  an  aide. 
Those  sort  of  appointments  are  very  useful.  They  not  only 
take  one  out  of  the  routine  of  garrison  life  and  enable  one  to 
see  the  world,  but  they  bring  a  young  officer's  name  promi- 
nently forward,  and  give  him  chances  of  distinguishing  him- 
self. Therefore  I,  as  an  old  cavalry  man,  should  much 
prefer  taking  an  assistant  from  the  same  branch,  and  indeed 
would  almost  be  expected  to  do  so.  From  what  I  hear,  I 
think  that,  apart  from  my  friendship  for  your  father,  you  are 
the  kind  of  young  fellow  I  should  like  with  me." 

Frank  looked  rather  surprised. 

"  I  had  a  letter,"  Colonel  Wilson  went  on,  "  from  Colonel 
Chambers,  who  was  a  captain  in  the  i5th  when  I  joined. 
He  spoke  in  very  high  terms  of  you,  and  sent  a  copy  of  the 
proceedings  and  reports  connected  with  the  murder  of  that 
magistrate,  and  said  that  it  was  almost  entirely  due  to  your 
sharpness  that  your  brother  was  cleared  of  the  suspicion  that 
had  not  unreasonably  fallen  upon  him,  and  the  saddle  put 
upon  the  right  horse.  There  is  a  sort  of  idea  that  any  dash- 
ing young  fellow  will  do  for  the  cavalry,  and  no  doubt  dash 
is  one  of  the  prime  requisites  for  cavalry  officers,  but  if  he  is 
really  to  distinguish  himself  and  be  something  more  than  a 
brave  swordsman,  more  especially  if  he  is  likely  to  have  the 
opportunity  of  obtaining  a  staff  appointment,  he  needs  other 
qualities,  for  on  a  reconnaissance  a  man  who  has  a  quick  eye, 
good  powers  of  observation  and  thoughtfulness,  may  send  in 
i\  report  of  a  most  valuable  kind,  while  that  of  the  average 
young  officer  might  be  absolutely  useless. 


114  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  Having  said  this  much,  I  would  advise  you  strongly  to 
devote  a  couple  of  hours  a  day  regularly  to  the  study  of 
French  and  German.  You  may  find  them  invaluable,  espe- 
cially if  you  are  engaged  on  any  diplomatic  mission,  and  much 
more  useful  at  first  than  the  study  of  writers  on  military  tactics 
and  strategy.  There  will  be  plenty  of  time  for  that  after- 
wards. At  Canterbury  you  will  have  no  difficulty  in  finding 
a  master  among  the  many  French  emigres,  and  as  there  are  at 
present  two  or  three  troops  of  one  of  our  German  Hussar  regi- 
ments there,  and  some  of  these  men  belong  to  families  who 
preferred  exile  and  service  in  the  ranks  to  living  under  French 
domination,  you  may  find  a  soldier  who  will  be  glad  enough 
to  add  to  his  pay  by  a  little  teaching.  A  draft  went  out  only 
a  fortnight  or  so  since  to  your  regiment,  and  you  are  therefore 
likely  to  be  some  time  at  Canterbury  before  you  are  ordered 
out,  and  as  the  time  in  a  garrison  town  hangs  heavily  on  hand, 
a  little  steady  work  will  help  to  make  it  pass  not  unpleas- 
antly." 

"  I  will  certainly  do  so,  sir.  We  had  a  French  master  at 
school.  It  was  not  compulsory  to  learn  the  language,  but  I 
thought  it  might  be  useful  if  I  went  into  the  army,  and  so  took 
it  up.  I  don't  say  that  I  can  speak  well  at  all,  but  I  know 
enough  to  help  me  a  good  deal." 

"That  is  right,  lad.  Ah,  here  is  supper.  I  am  sure  you 
must  want  it  after  being  eighteen  hours  on  the  outside  of  a 
coach  in  such  weather  as  this,  though  I  daresay  as  far  as  food 
went  you  did  not  do  badly." 

"  No,  sir;  there  was  plenty  of  time  at  the  stopping-places 
for  meals,  and  as  I  was  w.ell  wrapped  up  the  cold  was 
nothing." 

Frank,  however,  could  not  deny  that  he  felt  very  stiff  after 
his  journey,  and  was  not  sorry  to  retire  to  bed  as  soon  as  he 
had  eaten  his  supper.  There  were  few  men  in  the  army  who 
had  seen  so  much  and  such  varied  service  as  Colonel  Sir  Rob- 


A   COMMISSION  115 

ert  Wilson.  Joining  the  army  in  1793,  he  served  through  the 
campaigns  of  Flanders  and  Holland.  In  1797,  having  at- 
tained the  rank  of  captain,  he  was  detached  from  his  regiment 
and  served  on  Major-general  St.  John's  staff  during  the  re- 
bellion in  Ireland.  Two  years  later  he  rejoined  his  regiment 
and  proceeded  to  the  Helder,  and  was  engaged  in  all  the  bat- 
tles that  took  place  during  that  campaign.  On  the  Conven- 
tion being  signed  he  purchased  a  majority  in  one  of  the  regi- 
ments of  German  Hussars  in  our  service.  He  was  then  sent 
on  a  mission  to  Vienna,  and  having  fulfilled  this,  went  down 
through  Italy  to  Malta,  where  he  expected  to  find  his  regi- 
ment, which  formed  part  of  General  Abercrombie's  command. 
He  joined  it  before  it  landed  in  Egypt,  and  served  through 
the  campaign  there.  He  then  purchased  his  lieutenant- 
colonelcy,  and  exchanged  into  the  2oth  Light  Dragoons.  He 
was  with  that  portion  of  his  regiment  which  formed  part  of 
Sir  David  Baird's  division,  and  sailed  first  to  the  Brazils  and 
then  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  which  possession  it  wrested 
from  the  Dutch. 

On  his  return  to  England  he  was  directed  to  proceed  on  the 
staff  of  Lord  Hutchinson  to  Berlin,  but  on  his  arrival  at 
Memel  was  despatched  to  the  Russian  headquarters  as  British 
commissioner.  He  continued  with  the  Russian  army  during 
the  next  two  campaigns,  and  on  the  signature  of  the  treaty  of 
Tilsit  returned  to  England,  and  made  several  journeys  to  St. 
Petersburg  with  confidential  despatches,  and  brought  to  Eng- 
land the  first  news  that  the  Czar  had  concluded  an  alliance 
with  Napoleon  and  was  about  to  declare  war  against  England. 
In  1808  Sir  Robert  Wilson  was  sent  to  Portugal  to  raise  the 
Portuguese  legion,  and,  acting  independently  as  a  Brigadier- 
general,  rendered  very  valuable  services,  until  in  1809  the 
legion  was  absorbed  in  the  Portuguese  army.  He  was  now 
waiting  for  other  employment. 

The  colonel  went  out  with  Frank  after  breakfast  next  morn- 


110  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

ing  and  ordered  his  uniform  and  equipments.  Frank  was  well 
supplied  with  money,  for  by  the  terms  of  his  father's  will  either 
of  his  sons  who  entered  the  army  was  entitled  to  draw  two 
hundred  pounds  a  year  to  pay  for  outfit,  horse,  and  as  allow- 
ance until  he  came  of  age,  when  he  would  receive  his  share  of 
the  capital.  Mrs.  Troutbeck  had,  when  he  said  good-bye  to 
her,  slipped  a  pocket-book  with  bank-notes  for  a  hundred 
pounds  into  his  hands. 

"  Money  is  always  useful,  Frank,"  she  said,  when  he  pro- 
tested that  he  was  amply  supplied,  "and  if  you  should  ever 
find  that  your  allowance  is  insufficient  write  to  me.  I  know 
that  you  are  not  in  the  least  likely  to  be  extravagant  or  foolish, 
but  you  see  what  a  scrape  your  brother  has  got  into,  without 
any  fault  of  your  own,  and  you  may  also  find  yourself  in  a 
position  where  you  may  want  money.  If  you  do,  write  to  me 
at  once." 

After  the  orders  had  been  given,  Sir  Robert  Wilson  took 
Frank  about  London  to  see  some  of  the  sights.  At  dinner  he 
asked  him  many  questions  as  to  his  studies  and  amusements, 
and  the  way  in  which  his  day  was  generally  spent.  After  din- 
ing at  Sir  Robert's  club  they  returned  to  his  lodgings. 

"I  am  very  pleased,  Frank,"  he  said  as  he  lighted  a  cigar, 
"  both  with  what  I  have  heard  of  you  and  with  what  I  see  for 
myself.  Now  I  will  speak  to  you  more  freely  than  I  did  be- 
fore, but  mind,  what  I  say  is  strictly  confidential.  Govern- 
ment have  obtained  secret  information  which  points  surely  to 
the  fact  that  Napoleon  is  meditating  an  offensive  war  against 
Russia.  He  is  accumulating  troops  in  Germany  and  Poland 
out  of  all  proportion  to  the  operations  he  has  been  carrying  on 
against  Austria.  When  that  war  will  break  out  is  more  than  I 
or  anyone  can  say,  but  when  it  does  take  place  I  have  Lord 
Wellesley's  promise  that  I  shall  go  out  there  in  the  same  posi- 
tion I  held  during  their  last  war,  that  is,  as  British  commis- 
sioner with  the  Russian  army.  Now,  lad,  in  that  position  I 


A   COMMISSION  117 

shall  be  entitled  to  take  a  young  officer  with  me  as  my  assistant, 
or  what,  if  engaged  on  other  service,  would  be  called  aide-de- 
camp. One  cannot  be  everywhere  at  once,  and  I  should  often 
have  to  depend  upon  him  for  information  as  to  what  was  taking 
place  at  points  where  I  could  not  be  present. 

"  He  would,  too,  act  as  my  secretary.  It  may  possibly  be 
a  year  before  Napoleon's  preparations  are  completed  ;  but  even 
in  a  year  I  should  hardly  be  justified  in  choosing  so  young  an 
officer  from  my  old  regiment,  unless  he  had  some  special  quali- 
fications for  the  post.  Now,  for  your  father's  sake,  Frank, 
and  because  I  like  you  and  feel  sure  that  you  are  just  the  man 
I  require,  I  should  like  to  take  you,  but  could  not  do  so  unless 
you  had  some  special  knowledge  that  I  could  urge  as  a  reason 
for  applying  for  you.  There  is  only  one  such  qualification  that 
I  know  of,  namely,  that  you  should  be  able  to  speak  the  Rus- 
sian language.  When  I  spoke  to  you  about  learning  French 
and  German  I  did  so  on  general  principles,  and  not  with  a 
view  to  this,  for  it  did  not  seem  to  me  that  I  could  possibly 
select  you  to  go  with  me  on  this  service ;  but  I  have  since 
thought  it  over,  and  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  I  could 
do  so,  if  you  did  but  understand  Russian.  It  is  a  most  diffi- 
cult language,  and  although  I  can  now  get  on  with  it  fairly 
after  my  stay  out  there,  I  thought  at  first  I  should  never  make 
any  headway  in  it.  It  would,  therefore,  be  of  no  use  what- 
ever for  you  to  attempt  it  unless  you  are  ready  to  work  very 
hard  at  it,  and  to  give  up,  I  should  say,  at  least  four  hours  a 
day  to  study. ' ' 

"  I  should  be  quite  ready  to  do  that,  sir,"  Frank  said  ear- 
nestly, "and  I  thank  you  indeed  for  your  kindness.  But 
who  should  I  get  to  teach  me  ?  ' ' 

"That  we  must  see  about.  There  are,  I  have  no  doubt, 
many  Russian  Poles  in  London  who  speak  the  language  well, 
and  who  have  picked  up  enough  English  for  your  purpose. 
The  Poles  are  marvellous  linguists.  We  will  go  to-morrow  to 


118  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

the  headquarters  of  the  Bow  Street  runners.  They  are  the 
detectives,  you  know,  and  if  they  cannot  at  once  put  their 
hands  upon  such  a  man  as  we  want,  they  will  be  able  to  ferret 
out  half  a  dozen  in  twenty-four  hours.  One  of  these  fellows 
you  must  engage  to  go  down  to  Canterbury  and  take  lodgings 
there.  They  are  almost  always  in  destitute  circumstances, 
and  would  be  content  with  very  moderate  pay,  which  would 
not  draw  very  heavily  on  your  resources.  Thirty  shillings  a 
week  would  be  a  fortune  to  one  of  them.  Even  if  this  war 
should  not  come  off — but  I  have  myself  no  doubt  about  it — 
the  language  might  in  the  future  be  of  great  value  to  you.  1 
don't  suppose  there  is  a  single  officer  in  the  English  army, 
with  the  exception  of  myself,  who  knows  a  word  of  Russian, 
and  in  the  future  it  might  secure  you  the  position  of  military 
attache  to  our  embassy  there.  At  any  rate  it  will  render  it 
easy  for  me  to  secure  you  an  appointment  on  my  mission  when 
it  comes  off,  and  in  that  case  you  will  be  a  witness  of  one  of 
the  most  stupendous  struggles  that  has  ever  taken  place.  You 
think  you  can  really  stick  to  it,  Frank?  You  will  have,  no 
doubt,  to  put  up  with  a  good  deal  of  chaff  from  your  com- 
rades on  your  studious  tastes." 

"  I  sha'n't  mind  that,  sir.  I  have  often  been  chaffed  at 
school,  because  I  used  to  insist  on  getting  up  my  work  before 
I  would  join  anything  that  was  going  on,  and  used  to  find 
that  if  I  took  it  good  temperedly,  it  soon  ceased." 

The  next  day  they  went  to  Bow  Street.  Sir  Robert's  card 
was  sufficient  to  ensure  them  attention,  and  several  of  the  de- 
tectives were  questioned.  One  of  them  replied,  "I  think 
that  I  know  just  the  man.  He  occupies  an  atttic  in  the 
house  next  to  mine.  He  is  a  young  fellow  of  four-and- 
twenty,  and  I  know  he  has  been  trying  to  support  himself  by 
giving  lessons  in  German,  but  I  don't  think  that  he  has  ever 
had  a  pupil,  and  I  believe  he  is  nearly  starving.  His  land- 
lady told  me  that  he  has  parted  with  all  his  clothes  except 


A   COMMISSION  119 

those  that  he  stands  upright  in.  Of  late  he  has  been  picking 
up  a  few  pence  by  carrying  luggage  for  people  who  land  at  the 
wharves.  I  have  not  spoken  to  him  myself,  but  she  tells  me 
that  he  is  a  perfect  gentleman,  and  though  sometimes,  as  she 
believes,  he  has  not  so  much  as  a  crust  of  bread  between  his 
lips  all  day,  he  regularly  pays  his  rent  of  a  Saturday." 

"I  should  think  that  he  would  be  just  the  man  for  us. 
Would  you  see  him  when  you  go  home  this  afternoon,  and 
ask  him  to  come  to  No.  44  Buckingham  Street,  either  this 
evening  at  nine,  or  at  the  same  hour  to-morrow  morning?  I 
have  written  my  address  on  this  card." 

At  nine  o'clock  that  evening  the  landlady  came  upstairs 
and  said,  rather  doubtfully,  that  a  young  man  had  called 
to  see  Sir  Robert,  and  that  he  had  one  of  Sir  Robert's 
cards. 

"  That  is  right,  Mrs.  Richards.      I  was  expecting  him." 

The  Pole  was  brought  up.  He  was  a  pale  young  man, 
dressed  in  a  thin  suit  of  clothes  that  accorded  but  ill  with 
the  sharp  frost  outside.  He  bowed  respectfully,  and  said  in 
very  fair  English,  "  I  am  told,  sir,  that  you  wish  to  speak 
to  me." 

"  Take  a  seat,  sir.  By  the  way,  I  do  not  know  your 
name. ' ' 

"  Strelinski,"  the  man  said. 

"  I  am  told  that  you  are  desirous  of  giving  lessons  in  lan- 
guages. ' ' 

"  I  am,  sir,  most  desirous." 

' '  Mr.  Wyatt,  this  gentleman  here,  is  anxious  to  learn 
Russian." 

The  man  looked  with  some  surprise  at  Frank.  "  I  should 
be  glad  to  teach  it,  sir,"  he  said  doubtfully,  "  but  Russian  is 
not  like  French  or  English.  It  is  a  very  difficult  language  to 
learn,  and  one  that  would  require  a  good  deal  of  study.  I 
should  not  like  to  take  money  without  doing  something  in  re- 


120  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

turn,  and  I  fear  that  this  gentleman  would  be  disappointed  at 
the  small  progress  he  would  make." 

"  Mr.  Wyatt  has  just  obtained  a  commission,  and  he  thinks 
that  as  there  are  few,  if  any,  officers  in  the  army  who  speak  it 
fluently,  it  might  be  of  great  advantage  to  him.  He  is,  there- 
fore, prepared  to  work  hard  at  it.  I  myself,"  he  went  on  in 
Russian,  "  speak  it  a  little,  as  you  see  ;  I  have  already  warned 
him  of  the  difficulty  of  the  language,  and  he  is  not  dismayed. 
He  is  going  down  to  Canterbury  to  join  the  depot  of  his  regi- 
ment in  the  course  of  a  few  days,  and  he  proposes  that  you 
should  accompany  him  and  take  a  lodging  there. ' ' 

The  young  man's  face  had  a  look  of  surprise  when  he  was 
addressed  in  the  Russian  language,  and  Frank  saw  a  faint  flush 
come  across  his  face  and  tears  flow  to  his  eyes  as  he  heard  the 
offer. 

"  What  terms  would  you  ask?  He  might  require  your  ser- 
vices for  a  year. ' ' 

"  Any  terms  that  would  keep  me  from  starving,"  the  man 
said. 

"  May  I  ask  what  you  were  in  your  own  country,  Mr.  Stre- 
linski?" 

"  I  was  educated  for  the  law,"  the  Pole  said.  "  I  took  my 
degree  at  the  University  of  Warsaw,  but  I  was  suspected  of 
having  a  leaning  towards  the  French — as  who  had  not,  when 
Napoleon  had  promised  to  deliver  us  from  our  slavery — and 
had  to  fly.  I  had  intended  at  first  to  enter  one  of  the  Polish 
regiments  in  the  French  service,  but  I  could  not  get  across  the 
frontier,  and  had  to  make  north,  getting  here  in  an  English 
ship.  The  war  between  you  and  France  prevented  my  cross- 
ing the  sea  again,  and  then  I  resolved  to  earn  my  living  here, 
but — "  and  he  stopped. 

"  You  have  found  it  hard  work.  I  can  quite  understand 
that,  Mr.  Strelinski.  It  is  terribly  hard  for  any  foreigner, 
even  with  good  introductions,  to  earn  a  living  here,  and  to 


A    COMMISSION  121 

one  unprovided  with  such  recommendations  well-nigh  impos- 
sible. Please  to  sit  here  for  a  moment.  Frank,  come  into  the 
next  room  with  me," 

"Well,  what  do  you  think?"  he  asked  when  they  were 
alone. 

"I  should  think  that  he  will  do  splendidly,  sir,  and  his  being 
a  gentleman  will  make  it  very  pleasant  for  me.  But  I  should 
not  like  to  offer  him  as  little  as  thirty  shillings  a  week." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  that  he  would  be  delighted  with  it, 
Frank,  but  as  he  will  have  to  pay  his  lodgings  out  of  it  and 
furnish  his  wardrobe,  we  might  say  two  pounds,  if  you  can 
afford  it." 

"  I  can  afford  it  very  well,  sir.  My  aunt  gave  me  a  hun- 
dred pounds  when  I  came  away  from  home,  and  that  will  pay 
for  it  for  one  year.  I  am  sure  I  shall  like  him." 

"  He  impresses  me  very  favourably  too,"  Sir  Robert  said, 
"and  perhaps  I  may  find  a  post  for  him  here  if  we  go  out, 
though  we  need  not  think  of  that  at  present.  Well,  let  us  go 
in  to  him  again.  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  poor  fellow  is  on 
thorns." 

"  I  have  talked  it  over  with  Mr.  Wyatt,"  he  went  on  when 
they  had  returned  to  the  sitting-room;  "he  will  probably 
require  your  services  for  a  year,  though  possibly  he  may  have 
to  join  his  regiment  sooner  than  that.  He  is  willing  to  pay 
two  pounds  a  week  for  your  services  as  his  instructor.  Will 
that  suit  you  ?  ' ' 

"It  is  more  than  sufficient,"  the  Pole  said  in  a  broken 
voice.  "  For  half  of  that  I  could  keep  myself." 

"Yes,  but  there  will  be  your  lodgings  to  pay,  and  other 
matters ;  and  if  you  are  willing  to  accept  two  pounds,  which 
appears  to  us  a  fair  rate  of  remuneration,  we  will  consider 
that  as  settled.  It  is  a  cold  night,  Mr.  Strelinski.  You  had 
better  take  a  glass  of  wine  and  a  biscuit  before  you  vent- 
ure out." 


122  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

He  fetched  a  decanter  of  port  and  a  tin  of  biscuits  from  the 
sideboard,  and  placed  them  in  front  of  him  ;  then  he  made  a 
sign  to  Frank  to  leave  the  room.  In  a  few  minutes  he  called 
him  back  again.  Frank  found  the  Pole  standing  with  his  hat 
in  his  hand  ready  to  leave.  There  was  a  look  of  brightness 
and  hope  in  his  face,  which  was  a  strong  contrast  to  his  ex- 
pression on  entering.  He  bowed  deeply  to  Sir  Robert,  and 
took  the  hand  that  Frank  held  out  to  him. 

"  You  have  saved  me,"  he  said,  and  then,  without  another 
word,  turned  and  left  the  room. 

"  I  have  insisted  upon  his  taking  ten  pounds  on  account  of 
his  salary,  as  I  told  him  that  he  must  have  warm  clothes  and 
make  a  decent  figure  in  Canterbury.  You  are  to  deduct  ten 
shillings  a  week  from  his  pay  till  it  is  made  up.  The  poor 
fellow  fairly  broke  down  when  I  offered  it  to  him.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  he  is  almost  starved,  and  is  as  weak  as  a  rat. 
He  is  to  come  to-morrow  at  twelve  o'clock.  I  have  business 
that  will  take  me  out  all  day,  so  you  can  have  a  quiet  chat 
with  him  and  break  the  ice." 


CHAPTER   VII 

A   FRENCH    PRISON 

JULIAN  WYATT  had  expected  that  there  would  be 
some  formalities  on  his  arrival  at  Nantes — that  he  should 
probably  be  taken  before  a  court  of  some  sort, — and  he  de- 
termined to  make  a  protest,  and  to  declare  that  he  had  been 
forcibly  brought  over  from  England.  At  the  same  time  he 
felt  that  to  do  so  would  make  little  difference  in  his  position. 
When  Holland  was  overrun  with  the  French,  all  English 
residents  were  thrown  into  prison,  and  the  same  thing  had 
happened  after  the  short  peace ;  still  he  determined  to  make 


A   FRENCH    PRISON  123 

the  effort,  for  he  thought  that  as  a  civilian  he  might  not  be 
placed  in  a  military  prison,  and  might,  therefore,  have  a 
better  chance  of  making  his  escape.  He  had,  however,  no 
opportunity  for  protest  or  remonstrance.  The  captain  of  the 
lugger  and  two  of  his  men  went  ashore  as  soon  as  the  craft 
was  moored  alongside  the  quay. 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  later  they  returned  with  a  sergeant  and 
two  soldiers.  The  captain  pointed  him  out  to  the  sergeant. 
The  latter  crossed  the  plank  on  to  the  deck,  put  his  hand  on 
Julian's  shoulder,  and  motioned  to  him  to  follow  him  ashore. 

"  Good-bye,  young  fellow  !  "  Markham  said,  as,  feeling 
the  uselessness  of  protest  or  resistance,  Julian  moved  towards 
the  plank.  "I  am  very  sorry  for  you,  but  there  is  nothing 
else  to  do,  and  you  will  be  as  well  there  as  anywhere,  for  you 
couldn't  show  your  face  in  Weymouth.  I  will  keep  my 
promise,  never  fear  ;  and  some  day  or  other  everyone  shall 
know  that  you  had  nothing  to  do  with  giving  that  fellow  the 
end  he  deserved." 

Julian  was  marched  along  the  quay  for  some  distance,  and 
then  through  the  streets  till  they  came  to  a  large  building. 
The  sergeant  rang  the  bell  at  the  gate.  When  it  was  opened 
he  entered  with  Julian,  leaving  the  two  soldiers  without.  A 
sub-officer  of  the  prison  came  up,  and  the  sergeant  handed  to 
him  a  paper,  which  was  an  order  signed  by  the  mayor  for  the 
governor  of  the  prison  to  receive  an  English  sailor,  name 
unknown,  age  twenty-one,  who  had  been  picked  up  at  sea  by 
the  master  of  the  French  lugger  Lttdlle.  The  official  gave  a 
receipt  to  the  sergeant  for  the  prisoner,  and  a  warder  then  led 
Julian  away  to  a  vaulted  hall,  where  some  forty  or  fifty  men 
were  either  lying  on  some  straw  or  were  walking  up  and 
down  in  the  endeavour  to  warm  themselves.  Julian  saw  at 
once  that  they  were  English  sailors,  although  their  clothes 
were  for  the  most  part  ragged  and  torn. 

' '  Hulloa,  mate  !  ' '   one  of  them  said  as  the  door  closed 


124  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

behind  him.  "Have  you  come  all  alone?  For  the  most 
part  we  arrive  in  batches.  Where  do  you  hail  from,  and 
what  was  your  ship  ?  ' ' 

"I  hail  from  Weymouth,"  Julian  replied  cheerfully,  his 
habit  of  making  the  best  of  things  at  once  asserting  itself. 
"  I  don't  know  that  I  can  be  said  to  belong  to  any  ship,  but 
I  made  the  passage  across  in  a  French  smuggling  lugger,  the 
Lucille.  I  suppose  I  ought  to  feel  indebted  to  them,  for  they 
brought  me  across  without  asking  for  any  passage-money ; 
but  they  have  played  me  a  dirty  trick  here,  for  they  have 
handed  me  over  to  the  authorities,  as  far  as  I  can  understand 
the  matter,  as  a  man-of-war  sailor  they  have  picked  up." 

"What  were  you  doing  on  board  ?  "  another  sailor  asked. 
"  Did  you  have  to  leave  England  in  a  hurry  ?  " 

"  I  left  in  a  hurry  because  I  could  not  help  it.  Going 
across  the  hills  I  came  quite  accidentally  upon  one  of  the 
smugglers'  hiding-places,  and  was  seized  before  I  had  time  to 
say  a  word.  There  was  a  little  discussion  among  themselves 
as  to  what  they  would  do  with  me,  and  I  should  have  had 
my  throat  cut  if  an  Englishman  among  them  had  not  known 
that  I  was  friends  with  most  of  the  fishermen  there,  and  had 
been  present  once  or  twice  when  a  cargo  was  run.  So  they 
finally  made  up  their  minds  to  bring  me  over  here,  and  as 
they  feared  I  might,  if  I  returned,  peach  as  to  their  hiding- 
place,  they  trumped  up  this  story  about  me,  and  handed  me 
over  to  the  French  to  take  care  of. ' ' 

"  Well,  that  story  will  do  just  as  well  as  another,"  one  of 
the  sailors  laughed.  "As  to  their  taking  care  of  you,  be- 
yond looking  sharp  that  you  don't  get  away,  the  care  they 
give  you  ain't  worth  speaking  of.  We  are  pretty  nigh 
starved,  and  pretty  nigh  frozen.  Well,  there  is  one  thing, 
we  shall  get  out  of  it  in  two  or  three  days,  for  we  hear  that 
we  are  all  to  be  marched  off  somewhere.  A  batch  generally 
goes  off  once  a  fortnight. ' ' 


A    FRENCH    PRISON  125 

"  Are  you  mostly  men-of-war's  men?  " 

"  None  of  us,  at  least  not  when  we  were  taken,  though  I 
reckon  most  of  us  have  had  a  spell  at  it  one  time  or  other. 
No ;  we  all  belong  to  two  ships  that  were  captured  by  a 
couple  of  their  confounded  privateers.  The  one  I  belonged 
to  was  bound  for  Sicily  with  stores  for  some  of  the  troops 
stationed  there ;  the  other  lot  were  on  their  way  to  the 
Tagus.  They  caught  us  off  Finisterre  within  a  couple  of 
days  of  each  other.  We  both  made  a  fight  of  it,  and  if  we 
had  been  together  when  they  came  up,  we  might  have  beaten 
them  off ;  but  we  had  not  any  chance  single-handed  against 
two  of  them,  for  they  both  carried  much  heavier  metal  than 
we  did.  I  don't  think  we  should  have  resisted  if  we  had  not 
thought  that  the  noise  of  the  guns  might  have  brought  one 
of  our  cruisers  up.  But  we  had  no  such  luck,  and  so  here 
we  are." 

"  I  suppose,  lad,  you  haven't  got  anything  to  pay  your 
footing  with  ?  They  did  not  leave  us  a  sou  in  our  pockets, 
and  I  don't  suppose  the  smugglers  were  much  more  generous 
to  you. ' ' 

"Yes,  they  were,"  Julian  said.  "I  have  a  guinea  and 
some  odd  silver.  I  will  keep  the  odd  silver  for  the  present, 
for  it  may  come  in  handy  later  on  ;  but  here  is  the  guinea, 
and  if  there  are  any  means  of  getting  anything  with  it,  order 
what  you  like." 

There  was  a  shout  of  satisfaction,  followed  by  an  animated 
debate  as  to  how  the  money  should  be  spent.  Julian  learnt 
that  there  was  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  liquor  in  the  prison, 
as  one  of  the  warders  had  permission  to  sell  it  in  quantities 
not  exceeding  one  glass,  for  which  the  charge  was  four  sous, 
and  also  that  prisoners  with  money  could  send  out  for  food. 
After  much  discussion,  it  was  finally  settled  that  forty-five 
pints  of  soup  and  the  same  number  of  rations  of  rum  should 
be  obtained.  The  soup  was  but  three  sous  a  pint,  which 


126  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

would  leave  them  enough  for  a  tot  of  grog  all  round  next 
day.  One  of  them,  who  had  been  first  mate  on  board — 
for  Julian  found  that  only  the  masters  had  separate  treat- 
ment as  officers — went  across  to  the  man  who  supplied 
liquor.  The  warder  soon  returned  with  him,  carrying  four 
bottles,  a  large  stone  jar  of  water,  and  two  or  three  small 
tin  cups.  The  mate,  who  spoke  French  pretty  fluently,  had 
a  sharp  argument  with  him  as  to  the  amount  in  French 
money  that  he  should  receive  as  change  out  of  the  guinea ; 
and  as  he  had  learnt  from  one  of  the  last  batch  that  had  been 
sent  away,  the  proper  rate  of  exchange  in  the  town,  he  finally 
got  the  best  of  it,  and  the  work  of  serving  out  the  liquor  then 
began. 

A  few  of  the  sailors  tossed  off  their  allowance  without 
water,  but  most  of  them  took  it  half  and  half,  so  as  to  make 
it  go  further.  Undoubtedly  if  the  warder  would  have  sold 
more  than  one  allowance  to  each  man  the  whole  of  the 
guinea  would  at  once  have  been  laid  out,  but  he  was  firm  on 
this  point.  Soon  afterwards  the  prisoners'  dinner  was  brought 
in.  It  consisted  of  a  slice  of  black  bread  to  each  man  and  a 
basin  of  very  thin  broth,  and  Julian  was  not  surprised  at  the 
hungry  look  that  he  had  noticed  on  the  men's  faces. 

"  Pretty  poor  fare,  isn't  it,  mate  ?  "  one  of  them  said  as  he 
observed  the  air  of  disfavour  with  which  Julian  regarded  his 
rations.  "  It  has  been  a  matter  of  deep  calculation  with  these 
French  fellows  as  to  how  little  would  do  just  to  keep  a  man 
alive,  and  I  reckon  they  have  got  it  to  a  nicety.  This  is 
what  we  have  three  times  a  day,  and  I  don't  know  whether  one 
is  most  hungry  when  one  turns  in  at  night,  or  when  one  turns 
out  in  the  morning.  However,  we  shall  be  better  off  to- 
night. We  get  our  supper  at  six,  and  at  eight  we  shall  get  in 
that  stuff  you  paid  for.  It  is  a  precious  deal  better  than  this, 
I  can  tell  you  ;  for  one  of  our  chums  managed  to  hide  two  or 
three  shillings  when  they  searched  us,  and  got  some  in,  and 


A   FRENCH    PRISON  127 

it  was  good,  and  no  mistake  ;  and  they  give  half  a  slice  of 
bread  with  each  pint.  It  is  better  bread  than  this  black  stuff 
they  give  us  in  prison.  Though  an  English  dog  would  turn 
up  his  nose  at  it,  still  it  helps  to  fill  up." 

The  second  supper  was  voted  a  great  success,  and  after  it 
was  eaten,  the  men,  cheered  by  its  warmth,  and  freed  for  a 
time  from  the  annoying  feeling  of  hunger  they  generally  ex- 
perienced, became  quite  merry.  Several  songs  were  sung, 
but  at  the  conclusion  of  a  grand  chorus  an  armed  warder 
came  in  and  ordered  them  to  be  silent. 

"  If  the  governor  hears  you  making  that  row,"  he  said, 
"  you  will  have  one  of  your  meals  cut  off  to-morrow." 

The  threat  was  effectual,  and  the  men  lay  down  in  the  straw 
as  close  as  they  could  get  to  each  other  for  warmth,  as  by  this 
means  the  thin  rug  each  had  served  out  to  him  sufficed  to 
spread  over  two  bodies,  and  their  covering  was  thus  doubled. 
Julian  had  really  another  guinea  besides  the  silver  in  his 
pocket,  but  he  had  thought  it  better  to  make  no  mention  of 
this,  as  in  case  of  his  ever  being  able  to  make  his  escape,  it 
would  be  of  vital  service  to  him.  The  following  day  there 
was  another  council  over  the  ten  francs  still  remaining.  A 
few  would  have  spent  it  in  another  allowance  of  rum  all 
round,  but  finally,  by  an  almost  unanimous  vote,  it  was  deter- 
mined that  fifteen  clay  pipes  should  be  obtained,  and  the  rest 
laid  out  in  tobacco.  The  forty-five  were  solemnly  divided 
into  three  watches.  Each  member  of  a  watch  was  to  have  a 
pipe,  which  was  to  be  filled  with  tobacco.  This  he  could 
smoke  fast  or  slow  as  he  chose,  or,  if  he  liked,  could  use  the 
tobacco  for  chewing.  At  the  end  of  half  an  hour  the  pipes 
were  to  be  handed  over  to  the  next  watch,  and  so  on  in  regu- 
lar order  until  evening. 

This  plan  was  carried  out,  and  afforded  unbounded  satisfac- 
tion, and  many  loudly  regretted  that  it  had  not  been  thought 
of  at  first,  as  the  money  spent  on  grog  would  have  largely  ex- 


128  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

tended  the  time  the  tobacco  would  hold  out.  So  jealous  did 
the  men  become  of  their  store  of  tobacco  that  the  mate  was 
requested  to  fill  all  the  pipes,  as  some  of  the  men  in  helping 
themselves  rammed  their  pipes  so  closely  that  they  held  double 
the  proper  allowance  of  tobacco.  This  treat  at  once  established 
Julian  as  a  popular  character,  and  upon  his  lamenting,  when 
talking  to  the  mate,  his  inability  to  speak  French,  the  latter 
offered  to  teach  him  as  much  as  he  could.  Directly  he  began 
three  or  four  of  the  younger  sailors  asked  to  be  allowed  to 
listen,  a  school  was  established  in  one  corner  of  the  room,  and 
for  several  hours  a  day  work  went  on,  both  master  and  pupils 
finding  that  it  greatly  shortened  the  long  weary  hours  of  idle- 
ness. 

Three  weeks  passed  without  change.  Then  they  were  told 
that  next  morning  they  would  be  marched  away  to  make  room 
for  another  batch  of  prisoners  that  had  been  brought  into  the 
fort  that  afternoon.  All  were  glad  of  the  change,  first,  be- 
cause it  was  a  change,  and  next,  because  they  all  agreed  they 
could  not  be  worse  off  anywhere  than  they  were  at  Nantes. 
They  were  mustered  at  daybreak,  formed  up  in  fours,  and 
with  a  guard  of  twenty  soldiers  with  loaded  muskets  marched 
out  from  the  prison  gates.  The  first  day's  journey  was  a  long 
one.  Keeping  along  the  north  bank  of  the  Loire,  they 
marched  to  Angers,  which  they  did  not  reach  until  night  was 
falling.  Many  of  the  men,  wholly  unaccustomed  to  walking, 
were  completely  worn  out  before  they  reached  their  destina- 
tion, but  as  a  whole,  with  the  exception  of  being  somewhat 
footsore,  they  arrived  in  fair  condition.  Julian  marched  by 
the  side  of  the  first  mate,  and  the  lesson  in  French  was  a  long 
one,  and  whiled  away  the  hours  on  the  road. 

"  It  would  not  be  difficult  for  us,  if  we  were  to  pass  the  word 
down,  to  fall  suddenly  on  our  guards  and  overpower  them," 
the  mate  said  in  one  of  the  pauses  of  their  talk.  "  A  few  of 
us  might  be  shot,  but  as  soon  as  we  had  knocked  some  of 


A    FRF.NCH    PRISON  129 

them  over  and  got  their  arms,  we  should  easily  make  an  end 
of  the  rest.  The  difficulty  would  be  what  to  do  after- 
wards. ' ' 

"  That  is  a  difficulty  there  is  no  getting  over,"  Julian  said. 
"  With  the  exception  of  yourself,  there  is  not  one  who  speaks 
French  well." 

"  I  don't  speak  it  well,"  the  mate  said.  "  I  know  enough 
to  get  on  with,  but  the  first  person  that  I  addressed  would  see 
at  once  that  I  was  a  foreigner.  No  ;  we  should  all  be  in  the 
same  boat,  and  a  very  bad  boat  it  would  be.  We  should  all 
be  hunted  down  in  the  course  of  twenty-four  hours,  and  I  ex- 
pect would  be  shot  twelve  hours  afterwards.  I  think  that  in- 
stead of  sending  twenty  men  with  us  they  might  safely  have 
sent  only  two,  for  it  would  be  simply  madness  to  try  to  es- 
cape. If  one  alone  could  manage  to  slip  off  there  would  be 
some  chance  for  him.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Bretons  are 
bitterly  opposed  to  the  present  state  of  things,  and  have  not 
forgotten  how  they  suffered  in  their  rising  early  in  the  days  of 
the  Republic.  They  would  probably  conceal  a  runaway,  and 
might  pass  him  along  through  their  woods  to  St.  Malo  or  one 
of  the  other  seaports,  and  thence  a  passage  across  might  be 
obtained  in  a  smuggler,  but  it  would  be  a  hazardous  job." 

"  Too  hazardous  for  me  to  care  to  undertake,  even  if  I  got 
the  chance  to  slip  away,"  Julian  said. 

"You  are  right,  mate;  nothing  short  of  a  big  reward 
would  tempt  any  of  the  smugglers  to  run  the  risk  of  carrying 
an  escaped  prisoner  out  of  the  country  ;  and  as  I  have  not  a. 
penny  in  my  pocket,  and  nothing  to  draw  on  at  home — for 
there  is  only  my  pay  due  up  to  the  date  we  were  captured 
when  we  were  only  eight  days  out — I  should  not  have  the 
slightest  chance  of  getting  away.  No  ;  I  shall  take  whatever 
comes.  I  expect  we  are  in  for  it  to  the  end  of  the  war, 
though  when  that  will  be  is  more  than  any  man  can  tell." 

They  were  marched  into  the  prison  at  Angers,  where  thev 


I 

.1 


130  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

were  provided  with  a  much  more  bountiful  meal  than  they 
had  been  accustomed  to,  a  good  allowance  of  straw,  and  two 
blankets  each.  To  their  great  satisfaction  they  were  not 
called  at  daybreak,  and  on  questioning  one  of  the  warders 
who  brought  in  their  breakfast,  the  first  mate  learnt  that  after 
the  march  to  Angers  it  was  customary  to  allow  a  day's  rest  to 
the  prisoners  going  through.  They  were  ready  for  the  start 
on  the  following  morning,  and  stopped  for  that  night  at  La 
Fleche.  The  next  march  was  a  long  one  to  Vendome,  and  at 
this  place  they  again  halted  for  a  day.  Stopping  for  a  night 
at  Beaugency,  they  marched  to  Orleans,  where  was  a  large 
prison.  Here  they  remained  for  a  week.  The  guards  who 
had  accompanied  them  from  Nantes  left  them  here  at  Orleans 
and  returned  by  water. 

From  Orleans  they  struck  more  to  the  north,  and  after  ten 
days'  marching  arrived  at  Verdun,  which  was,  they  learned, 
their  final  destination.  Here  there  were  fully  a  thousand  Eng- 
lish prisoners,  for  the  most  part  sailors.  The  greater  portion 
of  them  were  lodged  in  wooden  huts  erected  in  a  great  court- 
yard surrounded  by  a  high  wall.  The  food  was  coarse,  but 
was  much  more  abundant  than  it  had  been  at  Nantes.  The 
newly  arrived  party  were  quartered  together  in  one  of  the 
huts. 

Night  and  day  sentries  were  posted  on  the  wall,  along 
which  a  wooden  platform,  three  feet  from  the  top,  permitted 
them  to  pass  freely  ;  on  this  sentry-boxes  were  erected  at  short 
intervals.  As  soon  as  their  escort  had  left  them,  the  new- 
comers were  surrounded  by  sailors  eager  to  learn  the  last 
news  from  England — how  the  war  was  going  on,  and  what 
prospect  there  was  of  peace.  As  soon  as  their  curiosity  was 
satisfied,  the  crowd  speedily  dispersed.  Julian  was  struck  with 
the  air  of  listless  indifference  that  prevailed  among  the  pris- 
oners, but  it  was  not  long  before  he  quite  understood  it. 
Cut  off  from  all  news,  without  hope  of  escape  or  exchange, 


A  FRENCH   PRISON  131 

it  was  difficult  for  even  the  most  light-hearted  to  retain  their 
spirits. 

As  sailors,  the  men  were  somewhat  better  able  to  support 
the  dull  hopelessness  of  their  lives  than  others  would  have 
been.  Most  of  them  were  handy  in  some  way  or  other,  and 
as  they  were  permitted  by  the  authorities  to  make  anything 
they  could,  they  passed  much  of  their  time  in  working  at 
something  or  other.  Some  cut  out  and  rigged  model  ships, 
others  knitted,  some  made  quilts  from  patches  purchased  for 
a  trifle  by  the  warders  for  them  in  the  town,  some  made 
fancy  boxes  of  straw,  others  carved  walking-sticks,  paper- 
cutters,  and  other  trifles. 

Each  day,  two  or  three  of  their  number  had  permission 
to  go  down  into  the  town  to  sell  their  own  and  their  com- 
rades' manufactures,  and  to  buy  materials.  There  was  a  fair 
sale  for  most  of  the  articles,  for  these  were  bought  not  only 
by  the  townspeople,  but  by  pedlars,  who  carried  them  through 
the  country.  The  prices  obtained  were  small,  but  they  af- 
forded a  profit  over  the  money  laid  out  in  materials,  sufficient 
to  purchase  tobacco  and  other  little  luxuries — the  introduction 
of  spirits  into  the  prison  being,  however,  strictly  forbidden. 
Of  more  importance  than  the  money  they  earned,  was  the 
relief  to  the  tedium  of  their  life  in  the  work  itself.  Julian 
found  a  similar  relief  in  studying  French.  There  were  some 
among  the  prisoners  who  spoke  the  language  far  better  than 
did  the  mate,  and  after  three  months'  work  with  the  latter, 
Julian  was  advised  by  him  to  obtain  a  better  teacher.  He 
found  no  difficulty  in  getting  one,  who  spoke  French  really 
well,  to  talk  with  him  three  or  four  hours  a  day  on  condition 
of  being  supplied  with  tobacco  during  that  time;  and  as 
tobacco  was  very  cheap,  and  could  be  always  bought,  from 
the  soldiers,  Julian's  store  of  money  was  not  much  diminished 
by  the  outlay. 

He  himself  had  now  regularly  taken  to  smoking  ;  not   at 


132  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

first  because  he  liked  it,  but  because  he  saw  how  much  it 
cheered  and  comforted  his  comrades,  who,  however,  generally 
used  it  in  the  sailor  fashion  of  chewing.  Escape  was  never 
talked  of.  The  watch  kept  was  extremely  strict,  and  as  on 
getting  outside  of  the  walls  of  the  courtyard,  they  would  but 
find  themselves  in  a  town  girt  in  by  walls  and  fortifications, 
the  risk  was  altogether  too  great  to  be  encountered.  It  had 
been  attempted  many  times,  but  in  the  great  majority  of  cases 
the  fugitives  had  been  shot,  and  their  bodies  had  always  been 
brought  back  to  the  prison  in  order  to  impress  the  others  with 
the  uselessness  of  the  attempt.  A  very  few,  indeed,  had  got 
away;  at  least,  it  was  supposed  that  they  had  done  so,  as 
their  bodies  had  not  been  brought  back ;  but  it  was  generally 
considered  that  the  chances  were  enormously  against  their 
being  able  to  make  their  way  over  the  wide  extent  of  country 
between  Verdun  and  the  sea,  and  then  to  succeed  in  obtaining 
a  passage  to  some  neutral  port,  from  which  they  could  make 
their  way  to  England.  Several  times  offers  of  freedom  were 
made  to  such  of  the  prisoners  as  volunteered  to  enter  the 
French  army  or  navy,  but  very  few  availed  themselves  of 
them. 

At  the  end  of  ten  months,  Julian  was  able  to  speak  French 
fluently.  Large  bodies  of  troops  were  continually  marching 
through  the  town  bound  for  the  east,  and  the  prisoners  learned 
from  the  guards  that  the  general  belief  was  that  Napoleon  in- 
tended to  invade  Russia. 

"  I  have  a  good  mind  to  enlist,"  Julian  said  one  day,  to 
his  friend  the  mate.  "Of  course,  nothing  would  persuade 
me  to  do  so  if  it  were  a  question  of  fighting  against  the 
English.  But  now  that  I  have  learnt  French  fairly,  I  begin 
to  find  this  life  horrible,  and  am  longing  intensely  to  be  do- 
ing something.  There  are  the  reasons  that  I  have  already  told 
you  of  why,  even  if  I  were  free,  I  could  not  go  home.  I 
might  as  well  be  taking  part  in  this  campaign  as  staying  in 


A   FRENCH    PRISON  133 

prison.  Besides,  I  should  have  infinitely  better  chances  of 
escape  as  a  soldier  than  we  have  here,  and  if  I  find  I  don't 
like  it,  I  can  at  least  try  to  get  off." 

"  Well,  placed  as  you  are,  Wyatt,  I  don't  know  that  I 
should  not  be  inclined  to  do  the  same.  At  any  rate,  you 
would  be  seeing  something  of  life,  instead  of  living  like  a 
caged  monkey  here.  Of  course,  as  you  say,  no  one  would 
dream  of  such  a  thing  if  one  would  have  to  go  to  Spain 
to  fight  our  fellows  there.  Still,  if  by  any  chance,  after  this 
Russian  business,  your  regiment  was  ordered  back  to  France, 
and  then  to  Spain,  you  would  at  any  rate  have  a  fair  chance 
of  escaping  on  such  a  journey.  I  would  not  do  it  myself, 
because  I  have  a  wife  at  home.  One  hopes,  slight  as  the  chance 
seems  to  be,  that  some  day  there  will  be  a  general  exchange 
of  prisoners.  But  as  you  can't  go  home,  I  don't  know  but 
that  it  would  be  a  good  plan  for  you  to  do  what  you  propose. 
At  any  rate,  your  life  as  a  soldier  would  be  a  thousand  times 
better  than  this  dog's  existence." 

"  I  could  put  up  with  that  for  myself,  but  it  is  awful  seeing 
many  of  the  men  walking  about  with  their  heads  down,  never 
speaking  for  hours,  and  the  pictures  of  hopeless  melancholy. 
See  how  they  die  off,  not  from  hunger  or  fever,  for  we  have 
enough  to  eat,  but  wasting  away  and  dying  from  home-sick- 
ness, and  because  they  have  nothing  to  live  for.  Why,  of  the 
forty-five  of  us  who  came  up  together,  ten  have  gone  already ; 
and  there  are  three  or  four  others  who  won't  last  long.  It  is 
downright  heartbreaking;  and  now  that  I  have  no  longer  any- 
thing to  keep  my  thoughts  employed  a  good  part  of  the  day,  I 
begin  to  feel  it  myself.  I  catch  myself  saying,  what  is  the 
use  of  it  all,  it  would  be  better  make  a  bolt  and  have  done 
with  it.  I  can  quite  understand  the  feelings  of  that  man  who 
was  shot  last  week.  He  ran  straight  out  of  the  gate  ;  he  had 
no  thought  of  escape ;  he  simply  did  it  to  be  shot  down  by 
the  sentries,  instead  of  cutting  his  own  throat.  I  don't  be- 


134  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

lieve  I  could  stand  it  much  longer,  Jim  ;  and  even  if  I  were 
certain  of  being  killed  by  a  Russian  ball  I  think  I  should 

go." 

"  Go  then,  lad,"  the  man  said.  "  I  have  always  thought 
that  you  have  borne  up  very  well ;  but  I  know  it  is  even 
worse  for  you  than  it  is  for  us  sailors.  We  are  accustomed  to 
be  cooped  up  for  six  months  at  a  time  on  board  a  ship,  with- 
out any  news  from  outside ;  with  nothing  to  do  save  to  see 
that  the  decks  are  washed,  and  the  brasses  polished,  except 
when  there  is  a  shift  of  wind  or  a  gale.  But  to  anyone  like 
yourself,  I  can  understand  that  it  must  be  terrible;  and  if 
you  feel  getting  into  that  state,  I  should  say  go  by  all 
means. ' ' 

"I  will  give  you  a  letter  before  I  enlist,  Jim  ;  and  I  will 
get  you,  when  you  are  exchanged,  to  go  down  with  it  your- 
self to  Weymouth,  and  tell  them  what  became  of  me,  and 
why  I  went  into  the  French  army.  Don't  let  them  think 
that  I  turned  traitor.  I  would  shoot  myself  rather  than  run 
the  risk  of  having  to  fight  Englishmen.  But  when  it  is  a 
choice  between  fighting  Russians  and  going  out  of  my  mind, 
I  prefer  shouldering  a  French  musket.  I  will  write  the  letter 
to-day.  There  is  no  saying  when  they  may  next  call  for  vol- 
unteers ;  for,  as  you  know,  those  who  step  forward  are  taken 
away  at  once,  so  as  to  prevent  their  being  persuaded  by  the 
others  into  drawing  back." 

The  next  day  Julian  wrote  his  letter.  He  recapitulated  the 
arguments  he  had  used  to  the  mate,  and  bade  Frank  and  his 
aunt  a  final  farewell.  "I  may,  of  course,  get  through  the 
campaign,"  he  said.  "The  French  soldiers  here  seem  to 
think  that  they  will  sweep  the  Russians  before  them,  but  that 
is  their  way.  They  talked  of  sweeping  us  out  of  the  Penin- 
sula, and  they  haven't  done  it  yet;  and  there  is  no  doubt 
that  the  Russians  are  good  soldiers,  and  will  make  a  big  fight 
of  it.  I  hope  you  won't  feel  cut  up  about  this,  and  really  I 


A    FRENCH    PRISON  135 

care  little  whether  I  leave  my  bones  in  Russia  or  not.  It 
may  be  twenty  years  or  even  longer  before  that  fellow  Mark- 
ham's  letter  arrives  to  clear  me.  And  until  then  I  cannot  re- 
turn to  England,  or  at  any  rate  to  Weymouth  ;  indeed,  where- 
ever  I  was,  I  should  live  with  the  knowledge  that  I  might  at 
any  moment  be  recognized  and  arrested.  Therefore  while 
others  here  have  some  hope  of  a  return  home,  either  by  an 
exchange  of  prisoners  or  by  the  war  coming  to  an  end,  I  have 
nothing  to  look  forward  to.  So  you  see,  old  fellow,  that  it  is 
as  well  as  it  is. 

"  I  have  to  earn  my  own  living  somehow,  and  this  way  will 
suit  me  better  than  most.  Only,  of  one  thing  be  sure,  that 
if  at  the  end  of  the  Russian  war  I  return  alive,  and  my  regi- 
ment is  sent  where  there  is  a  chance  of  fighting  our  people,  I 
shall  take  an  opportunity  of  deserting.  As  I  have  told  you,  I 
can  speak  French  fairly  well  now,  and  after  a  few  months  in  a 
French  regiment  I  shall  be  able  to  pass  as  a  native,  and  should 
have  a  good  chance  of  making  my  way  somehow  through  the 
country  to  the  frontier.  My  idea  at  present  is  that  I  should 
make  for  Genoa  and  ship  there  as  a  sailor  on  board  an  Italian 
vessel,  or,  better  still,  if  we  happen  to  be  masters  of  the  place, 
or  our  fleet  near,  should  either  enlist  in  one  of  our  regiments, 
or  ship  on  board  one  of  our  men-of-war.  I  should,  of  course, 
take  another  name,  and  merely  say  that  I  had  been  captured 
by  the  French  at  sea,  had  been  a  prisoner  at  Verdun,  and  had 
managed  to  get  free,  and  make  my  way  across  the  country. 
Probably  in  any  case  I  shall  do  this  when  the  regiment  re- 
turns from  Russia.  Two  or  three  years'  absence,  and  a  fair 
share  of  the  hardships  of  a  soldier's  life,  and  a  disguise,  might 
enable  me  without  detection  to  travel  down  to  Weymouth  and 
see  Aunt,  and  learn  if  there  had  been  any  news  from  Mark- 
ham. 

"  Whether  I  shall  find  you  there  or  not  I  can't  tell.  I  have 
but  little  hope  that  you  will  be  able  to  get  a  commission. 


136  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

This  affair  of  mine  will  be,  I  fear,  an  absolute  bar  to  that. 
But,  wherever  you  may  be,  I  shall  do  my  best  to  find  you  out, 
after  I  have  seen  Aunt.  This  will  be  given  you  by  a  good 
fellow  named  Jim  Thompson.  He  has  been  a  first  mate,  and 
has  been  a  good  friend  to  me  ever  since  I  have  been  over 
here.  If  he  is  exchanged,  he  will  bring  it  to  you  ;  if  not,  he 
will  give  it  to  one  of  the  men  who  is  exchanged  to  post  it  on 
his  arrival  in  England.  I  shall  direct  it  both  to  you  and 
Aunt,  so  that  if  you  are  away  from  Weymouth  she  will  open 
it.  God  bless  you  both." 

Three  days  later  a  notice  was  posted  in  the  prison  saying 
that  any  of  the  prisoners  who  chose  to  volunteer  for  service  in 
Germany  were  at  liberty  to  do  so.  They  would  not  be 
called  upon  at  any  future  time  for  service  against  British 
troops,  but  would  have  the  liberty  to  exchange  into  regiments 
destined  for  other  service.  Eight  men,  including  Julian,  came 
forward,  when,  an  hour  later,  a  French  officer  entered  and 
called  for  volunteers.  Julian  had  already  announced  his  in- 
tention of  doing  so  to  his  comrades  in  the  hut,  and  to  his 
other  acquaintances. 

"  You  see,"  he  said,  "  we  shall  not  be  called  upon  for  ser- 
vice against  the  English,  and  I  would  rather  fight  the  Russians 
than  stay  in  this  place  for  years." 

Hitherto  the  men  who  had  volunteered  had  been  hooted  by 
their  fellow -prisoners  as  they  went  out,  but  the  promise  that 
they  should  not  be  called  upon  for  service  against  British 
troops  made  a  great  difference  in  the  feeling  with  which  the 
offer  was  regarded,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  hope  that 
everyone  felt  that  he  should  ere  long  be  exchanged,  the  num- 
ber who  stepped  forward  would  have  been  greatly  increased. 
A  strong  French  division  had  marched  into  Verdun  that  morn- 
ing, and  the  new  volunteers  were  all  divided  among  different 
corps.  Julian,  who  now  stood  over  six  feet,  was  told  off  to  a 
Grenadier  regiment.  A  uniform  was  at  once  given  to  him 


A    FRENCH    PRISON  137 

from  those  carried  with  the  baggage  of  the  regiment,  and  the 
sergeant  of  the  company  in  which  he  had  been  placed  took 
him  to  its  barrack-room. 

"Comrades,"  he  said,  "here  is  a  new  recruit.  He  is  an 
Englishman  who  has  the  good  sense  to  prefer  fighting  the 
Russians  to  rotting  in  prison.  He  is  a  brave  fellow,  and 
speaks  our  language  well,  and  I  think  you  will  find  him  a  good 
comrade.  He  has  handed  over  twenty  francs  to  pay  his  foot- 
ing in  the  company.  You  must  not  regard  him  as  a  traitor  to 
his  country,  my  friends,  for  he  has  received  from  the  colonel 
a  paper  authorizing  him  to  exchange  into  a  regiment  destined 
for  other  service,  in  case,  after  we  have  done  with  the  Rus- 
sians, we  should  be  sent  to  some  place  where  we  should  have 
to  fight  against  his  countrymen." 

In  half  an  hour  Julian  felt  at  home  with  his  new  comrades. 
They  differed  greatly  in  age  :  some  among  them  had  grown 
grizzly  in  the  service,  and  had  fought  in  all  the  wars  of  the 
Republic  and  Empire  ;  others  were  lads  not  older  than  him- 
self, taken  but  a  month  or  two  before  from  the  plough.  After 
they  had  drunk  the  liquor  purchased  with  his  twenty  francs, 
they  patted  him  on  the  back  and  drank  to  the  health  of  Jules 
Wyatt,  for  Julian  had  entered  under  his  own  surname,  and  his 
Christian  name  was  at  once  converted  to  its  French  equivalent. 
With  his  usual  knack  of  making  friends,  he  was  soon  on  excel- 
lent terms  with  them  all,  joined  in  their  choruses,  and  sang 
some  English  songs  whose  words  he  had  as  an  exercise  trans- 
lated into  French,  and  when  the  men  lay  down  for  the  night 
on  their  straw  pallets  it  was  generally  agreed  that  the  new 
comrade  was  a  fine  fellow  and  an  acquisition  to  the  com- 
pany. 

The  division  was  to  halt  for  two  days  at  Verdun,  and  the 
time  was  spent,  as  far  as  Julian  was  concerned,  in  the  hands  of 
a  sergeant,  who  kept  him  hard  at  work  all  day  acquiring  the 
elements  of  drill.  On  the  third  morning  the  regiment  marched 


138  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

off  at  daybreak,  Julian  taking  his  place  in  the  ranks,  with  his 
knapsack  and  firelock.  After  the  long  confinement  in  the 
prison  he  found  his  life  thoroughly  enjoyable.  Sometimes  they 
stopped  in  towns,  where  they  were  either  quartered  in  barracks 
or  billeted  on  the  inhabitants;  sometimes  they  slept  under 
canvas  or  in  the  open  air,  and  this  Julian  preferred,  as  they 
built  great  fires  and  gathered  round  them  in  merry  groups. 
The  conscripts  had  by  this  time  got  over  their  home-sickness, 
and  had  caught  the  martial  enthusiasm  of  their  older  comrades. 
All  believed  that  the  Grande  Armee  would  be  invincible,  and 
fears  were  even  expressed  that  the  Russians  would  not  venture 
to  stand  against  them.  Some  of  the  older  men,  however,  as- 
sured them  that  there  was  little  chance  of  this. 

"  The  Russians  are  hardy  fighters,  comrades,"  one  of  the 
veterans  said.  "  Parbleu !  I  who  tell  you,  have  fought 
against  them,  and  they  are  not  to  be  despised.  They  are  slow 
at  manoeuvring,  but  put  them  in  a  place  and  tell  them  to  hold 
it,  and  they  will  do  it  to  the  last.  I  fought  at  Austerlitz 
against  the  Austrians,  and  at  Jena  against  the  Prussians,  and 
in  a  score  of  other  battles  in  Germany  and  Italy,  and  I  tell 
you  that  the  Russians  are  the  toughest  enemies  I  have  met, 
save  only  your  Islanders,  Jules.  I  was  at  Talavera,  and  the 
way  your  people  held  that  hill  after  the  cowardly  Spaniards 
had  bolted  and  left  them,  and  at  last  rolled  us  down  it,  was  a 
thing  I  don't  want  to  see  again.  I  was  wounded  and  sent 
home  to  be  patched  up,  and  that  is  how  I  come  to  be  here 
marching  against  Russia  instead  of  being  under  Soult  in 
Spain.  No,  comrades,  you  take  my  word  for  it,  big  as  our 
army  will  be,  we  shall  have  some  tough  fighting  to  do  before 
we  get  to  Moscow  or  St.  Petersburg,  whichever  the  Little 
Corporal  intends  to  dictate  terms  in." 

"  It  is  as  you  say,  Victor,"  one  of  the  other  veterans  said, 
"and  it  is  all  the  better.  It  would  be  too  bad  if  we  had 
to  march  right  across  Europe  and  back  without  firing  a  shot, 


A    FRENCH    PRISON  139 

but  I,  who  know  the  Russians  too,   feel   sure  that  that  will 
never  be." 

Many  a  merry  martial  song  was  sung  at  the  bivouac  fires, 
many  a  story  of  campaigns  and  battles  told,  and  no  thought 
of  failure  entered  the  minds  of  anyone,  from  the  oldest  veteran 
to  the  youngest  drummer-boy.  Of  an  evening,  after  halting, 
Julian  generally  had  half  an  hour's  drill,  until,  three  weeks 
after  leaving  Verdun,  he  was  pronounced  fit  to  take  part  in  a 
review  under  the  eyes  of  the  Emperor  himself.  His  readiness 
to  oblige,  even  to  undertaking  sentry  duty  for  a  comrade  who 
had  grown  footsore  on  the  march,  or  was  suffering  from  some 
temporary  ailment,  his  cheeriness  and  good  temper,  had  by 
this  time  rendered  him  a  general  favourite  in  the  company, 
and  when  he  was  dismissed  from  drill  the  veterans  were  always 
ready  to  give  him  lessons  with  the  sabre  or  rapier  in  addition 
to  those  he  received  from  the  maltre  d'  armes  of  the  regiment. 
Julian  entered  into  these  exercises  with  great  earnestness. 
Quarrels  between  the  men  were  not  infrequent,  and  these  were 
always  settled  by  the  sabre  or  straight  sword,  the  officers'  per- 
mission being  necessary  before  these  duels  took  place.  It  was 
seldom  that  their  consequences  were  very  serious.  The  maltre 
d'armes  was  always  present,  and  put  a  stop  to  the  fight  as  soon 
as  blood  wras  drawn.  At  present  Julian  was  on  the  best  terms 
with  all  his  comrades,  but  he  Telt  that,  if  he  should  become 
involved  in  a  quarrel,  he  of  all  men  must  be  ready  to  vindicate 
his  honour  and  to  show  that,  Englishman  as  he  was,  he  was 
not  a  whit  behind  his  comrades  in  his  readiness  to  prove  his 
courage.  Thus,  then,  he  worked  with  ardour,  and  ere  long 
became  able  to  hold  his  own  even  with  the  veterans  of  the 
regiment. 


140  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

CHAPTER   VIII 

PISTOL    PRACTICE 

"  WOU  are  a  rum  fellow,  Wyatt,"  one  of  the  captains  of 
I  the  depot  of  his  regiment  said  to  Frank  a  fortnight 
after  he  joined. 

"  How  am  I  rum  ?  " 

"  Why,  about  that  Russian  fellow.  I  never  heard  of  a 
young  cornet  setting-to  to  work  like  a  nigger,  when  there 
is  no  occasion  in  the  world  for  him  to  do  so." 

"There  is  no  absolute  occasion  perhaps,  but  you  see 
Russian  may  be  very  useful  some  day." 

"  Well,  yes,  and  so  might  any  other  out-of-the-way  lan- 
guage. ' ' 

"  It  is  an  off-chance,  no  doubt ;  still  it  is  better  to  be  do- 
ing something  that  may  turn  out  useful  than  to  be  walking  up 
and  down  the  High  Street  or  playing  billiards.  I  don't  spend 
much  time  over  it  now,  for  there  is  a  good  deal  to  do  in  learn- 
ing one's  work,  but  when  I  once  get  out  of  the  hands  of  the 
drill-sergeant  and  the  riding-master  I  shall  have  a  lot  of  time 
to  myself,  and  shall  be  very  glad  to  occupy  some  of  it  in  get- 
ting up  Russian." 

"  Of  course  it  is  your  own  business  and  not  mine,  Wyatt ; 
but  I  am  afraid  you  won't  find  things  very  pleasant  if  you  take 
a  line  of  your  own  and  don't  go  with  the  rest." 

"  I  have  no  wish  not  to  go  with  the  rest,"  Frank  protested. 
"  When  there  is  anything  to  be  done,  whether  it  is  hunting  or 
any  sort  of  sport,  I  shall  certainly  take  my  share  in  it ;  but 
don't  you  think  yourself,  Captain  Lister,  that  it  is  much  bet- 
ter for  a  fellow  to  spend  part  of  his  time  reasonably  than  in 
lounging  about,  or  in  playing  billiards  or  cards  ?  " 

"  I  don't  say  that  it  isn't  better,  Wyatt,  but  that  is  hardly 


PISTOL   PRACTICE  141 

the  question.  Many  things  may  be  better  than  others,  but 
if  a  fellow  doesn't  go  with  the  run  he  gets  himself  disliked, 
and  has  a  very  hard  time  of  it." 

"  I  used  to  hear  a  good  deal  of  the  same  thing  when  I  was 
at  school,"  Frank  said  quietly,  "  but  I  don't  think  I  was 
disliked  for  sticking  to  work  sometimes,  when  other  fellows 
were  playing.  Surely  when  one  is  from  morning  till  night 
with  other  men,  it  can  matter  to  no  one  but  himself  if  he  gives 
two  or  three  hours  a  day  to  work." 

"  It  does  not  matter  to  anyone,  Wyatt.  I  am  quite  willing 
to  grant  it,  but  for  all  that,  I  am  afraid,  if  you  stick  to  it,  you 
will  have  to  put  up  with  a  great  deal  of  chaff,  and  not  always 
of  a  good-natured  kind." 

"  I  can  put  up  with  any  amount  of  chaff,"  Frank  replied  ; 
"  I  mean  chaff  in  its  proper  sense.  Anything  that  goes 
beyond  that,  I  shall,  I  hope,  be  able  to  meet  as  it  deserves. 
Perhaps  it  would  be  better  if  I  were  to  take  half  an  hour  a 
day  off  my  Russian  studies  and  to  spend  that  time  in  the  pis- 
tol-gallery." 

Captain  Lister  looked  at  him  earnestly.  "  I  think  you  will 
do,  youngster,"  he  said  approvingly,  "  that  is  the  right  spirit. 
There  is  a  lot  of  rough  fun  and  larking  in  a  regiment,  and  the 
man  that  goes  through  it  best,  is  he  who  can  take  a  joke 
good-temperedly  as  long  as  it  does  not  go  beyond  the  bounds 
of  moderation,  but  who  is  ready  to  resent  any  wilful  insult : 
but  I  think  you  would  be  very  wise  to  do  as  you  say.  Half 
an  hour  in  a  pistol -gallery  every  day  is  likely  to  be  of  vastly 
more  use  to  you  than  any  amount  of  Russian.  The  reputation 
that  a  man  is  a  crack  shot  with  a  pistol  will  do  more  than  any- 
thing in  the  world  to  keep  him  out  of  quarrels.  Here  at  the 
depot  at  any  rate,  where  the  fellows  .are  for  the  most  part 
young,  it  would  certainly  save  you  a  good  deal  of  annoyance 
if  it  were  known  that,  although  not  by  any  means  a  quarrel- 
some fellow,  you  were  determined  to  put  up  with  nothing 


142  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

beyond  good-humoured  jokes.  Well,  lad,  I  don't  want  to 
interfere  with  your  hobby,  only  I  advise  you  not  to  ride  it 
too  hard,  at  any  rate  at  first.  When  the  men  all  know  you 
and  get  to  like  you,  and  see  that,  apart  from  this  fancy  of 
yours,  you  are  an  all-round  good  fellow,  as  I  can  see  you  are, 
they  will  let  you  go  your  own  way.  At  any  rate,  as  captain 
of  your  troop,  I  will  do  all  I  can  to  make  things  pleasant  for 
you,  but  don't  forget  about  the  pistol  practice.  At  a  depot 
like  this,  where  there  are  half  a  dozen  regiments  represented, 
you  will  meet  with  a  larger  proportion  of  disagreeable  men 
than  you  would  in  your  own  ante-room.  You  see,  if  colonels 
have  such  men,  they  are  glad  enough  to  rid  the  regiment  of 
them  by  leaving  them  at  the  depot,  and  any  serious  trouble 
is  more  likely  to  come  from  one  of  them  than  from  anyone  in 
your  own  regiment." 

"I  will  take  your  advice,  certainly,"  Frank  said;  "the 
more  so  that  the  time  spent  in  learning  to  be  a  good  shot 
with  a  pistol  will  be  most  useful  in  a  campaign,  even  if  there 
is  no  occasion  ever  to  put  it  to  the  test  when  at  home." 

"There  is  a  gunsmith  in  St.  Margaret's  Street.  It  is  a 
small  shop,  but  the  man,  Woodall  is  his  name,  has  got  a  long 
shed  that  he  uses  as  a  pistol-gallery,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  out 
beyond  the  gate.  He  is  an  admirable  shot  himself  as  well  as 
an  excellent  workman,  and  you  can't  do  better  than  go  to 
him.  Tell  him  that  you  want  to  become  a  good  shot  with  the 
pistol,  and  are  willing  to  pay  for  lessons.  If  he  takes  you  in 
hand  it  won't  be  long  before  he  turns  you  out  as  a  fair  shot, 
whether  you  ever  get  beyond  that  depends  on  nerve  and  eye, 
and  I  should  think  that  you  have  no  lack  of  either. " 

"  I  hope  not,"  Frank  said,  with  a  smile.  "  At  any  rate  I 
will  see  him  this  afternoon." 

"  Put  on  your  cap  at  once,  and  I  will  go  down  with  you," 
Captain  Lister  said;  "and  mind,  I  think  if  I  were  you  I 
should  say  nothing  about  it  at  the  depot  until  he  tells  you 


PISTOL    PRACTICE  143 

that  he  has  done  with  you.  Knowing  that  the  man  is  a 
learner  might  have  just  the  opposite  effect  of  hearing  that  he 
is  a  crack  shot." 

In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  they  arrived  at  the  gunsmith's. 
"  Woodall,"  Captain  Lister  said,  "my  friend,  Mr.  Wyatt, 
who  has  lately  joined,  has  a  fancy  for  becoming  a  first-rate 
pistol  shot." 

"He  couldn't  have  a  more  useful  fancy,  Captain  Lister. 
My  idea  is,  that  every  cavalry-man — trooper  as  well  as  officer 
— should  be  a  dead  shot  with  a  pistol.  The  sword  is  all  very 
well,  and  I  don't  say  it  is  not  a  useful  weapon,  but  a  regi- 
ment that  could  shoot — really  shoot  well — would  be  a  match 
for  any  three  French  regiments,  though  they  were  Boney's 
best." 

"  He  wants  you  take  him  in  hand  yourself,  Woodall,  if  you 
can  spare  the  time  to  do  so ;  of  course,  he  is  ready  to  pay 
you  for  your  time  and  trouble,  and  would  meet  you  at  any 
hour  you  like  to  name  in  the  afternoon  at  your  shed." 

"  All  right,  sir.  It  is  a  rum  thing  to  me  that,  while  every 
officer  is  ready  to  take  any  pains  to  learn  the  sword  exercise, 
they  seem  to  think  that  pistol-shooting  comes  by  nature,  and 
that,  even  on  horseback,  in  the  middle  of  the  confusion  of  a 
charge,  you  have  only  got  to  point  your  pistol  and  bring 
down  your  man.  The  thing  is  down-right  ridiculous  !  It 
will  be  a  pleasure  to  teach  you,  Mr.  Wyatt.  I  should  say, 
from  your  look,  you  are  likely  to  turn  out  a  first-rate  shot." 

"  It  won't  be  for  want  of  trying  if  I  don't,"  Frank  replied. 

"  If  you  will  take  my  advice,  sir,  you  will  learn  to  shoot 
with  both  hands.  For  a  civilian  who  never  wants  to  use  a 
pistol  except  in  a  duel,  the  right  hand  is  all  that  is  necessary, 
but  for  a  cavalry-man,  the  left  is  the  useful  hand.  You  see  an 
officer  always  carries  his  sword  in  his  right  hand,  and  if  he 
has  got  to  shift  it  to  his  left  before  he  can  use  his  pistol,  he 
could  never  use  it  at  all,  if  hard  pressed  in  a  fight.  Another 


144  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

thing  is,  that  the  left  side  is  the  weak  side  of  a  horseman. 
His  sword  is  all  right  in  defending  him  if  attacked  on  the 
right,  but  if  he  is  attacked  on  the  left  he  is  fighting  under  a 
big  disadvantage.  He  has  much  more  difficulty  in  guarding 
himself  on  that  side,  and  he  has  nothing  like  the  same  reach 
for  striking  as  he  has  on  the  other." 

"That  is  quite  true,  now  I  come  to  think  of  it,"  Frank 
said  ;  "  though  I  never  gave  it  a  thought  before.  Yes,  I  sec 
that  the  left  hand  is  the  most  useful  one,  and  I  will  practice 
with  that  as  well  as  with  the  other.  Well,  what  hour  will 
suit  you  ?  " 

"  It  don't  make  much  difference  to  me,  sir  ;  the  evenings 
are  getting  longer  ;  you  can  see  well  enough  until  five. ' ' 

"  Well,  then,  shall  we  say  half-past  four?  " 

"  Half-past  four  will  suit  very  well,  Mr.  Wyatl.  It  is  four 
o'clock  now,  so  if  you  like  to  take  your  first  lesson  to-day  I 
will  meet  you  at  the  shed  in  half  an  hour.  You  cannot  miss 
the  place,  it  is  on  the  right  side  of  the  road  and  stands  by 
itself,  and  there  is  my  name  over  the  door." 

"  Thank  you  ;   I  will  be  there,"  Frank  replied. 

"  I  may  as  well  come  Avith  you,  Wyatt,"  Captain  Lister 
said.  "  I  will  fire  a  few  shots  myself,  for  I  have  had  no  prac- 
tice for  the  last  two  years,  and  I  have  a  fancy  to  see  what  I 
can  do  with  my  left  hand.  I  have  never  tried  with  it,  and  I 
quite  agree  with  Woodall  that  it  is  the  left  hand  that  a 
cavalry-man  should  use." 

Frank  was  a  good  deal  surprised  at  first  to  see  how  much 
more  difficult  it  was  to  hit  a  mark,  even  at  the  distance  of 
twelve  paces,  than  he  imagined  that  it  would  be.  Woodall 
would  not  allow  him  to  take  aim. 

"  You  will  never  get  a  chance  to  do  that,  Mr.  Wyatt,  in  a 
fight ;  you  have  got  to  whip  out  your  pistol,  to  throw  up  your 
arm  and  fire.  It  has  got  to  be  done  by  instinct  rather  than 
by  aim.  It  is  all  very  well  to  aim  when  you  are  on  your  feet 


PISTOL    PRACTICE  145 

and  standing  perfectly  steady,  but  on  a  horse  half-mad  with 
excitement,  and  perhaps  going  at  a  gallop,  you  could  no  more 
hold  your  arm  steady  on  a  mark  than  you  could  fly.  Put 
down  the  pistol  for  a  time.  Now  you  know,  sir,  when  you 
point  at  a  thing  with  your  first  finger  extended,  however 
quickly  you  do  it,  you  will  be  there  or  thereabout,  and  it  is 
the  same  thing  if  you  have  got  a  pistol  in  your  hand.  You 
see  that  black  patch  on  the  wall  to  the  right  of  the  target. 
Now  turn  your  back  to  it.  Now,  when  I  give  the  word,  turn 
on  your  heels,  and  the  moment  your  eye  catches  that  patch 
throw  up  your  arm  with  your  forefinger  extended  and  point  to 
it.  When  you  get  it  up  there,  hold  it  as  steady  as  you  can. 
Now,  sir!  " 

Frank  did  as  he  was  ordered. 

"  Now,  sir,  look  along  your  arm.  You  see  you  are  point- 
ing very  nearly  at  the  centre  of  the  patch.  You  are  just  a 
little  high.  Now  try  it  with  your  left.  There,  you  see,  you 
are  not  quite  so  accurate  this  time — you  are  six  inches  to  the 
left  of  the  patch,  and  nearly  a  foot  high.  Remember  that 
it's  always  better  to  aim  a  little  low  than  a  little  high,  for  the 
tendency  of  the  hand  in  the  act  of  pulling  the  trigger  is  to 
raise  the  muzzle.  Now,  sir,  try  that  half  a  dozen  times,  using 
the  hands  alternately.  Very  good  !  Now  take  this  empty 
pistol — no,  don't  hold  it  like  that  !  Not  one  man  in  twenty, 
ay,  not  one  in  a  hundred,  holds  a  pistol  right,  they  always 
want  to  get  the  first  finger  on  the  trigger.  Now,  you  want 
the  first  finger  to  point  with^  the  second  finger  is  quite  as 
good  to  pull  with,  in  fact  better,  for  going  straight,  as  it 
does,  with  the  arm,  there  is  less  tendency  to  throw  up  the 
muzzle.  Now  take  it  like  this ;  you  see  my  fore-finger  lies 
along  in  the  line  of  the  barrel,  that  is  the  really  important 
point.  Get  into  the  way  of  always  grasping  your  pistol  so 
that  the  first  finger  is  in  an  exact  line  with  the  barrel,  then, 
you  see,  just  as  your  finger  naturally  follows  your  eye  and 


146  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

points  at  the  spot,  so  your  pistol  must  be  in  the  same  line. 
It  is  best  to  have  the  middle  and  third  fingers  both  on  the 
trigger,  and  the  little  finger  and  thumb  alone  grasping  the 
butt. 

"  You  will  find  that  a  little  difficult  at  first,  but  you  will 
soon  get  accustomed  to  it,  and  your  little  finger  will  rapidly 
gain  strength,  and,  you  see,  the  hold  of  your  first  finger 
along  the  barrel  helps  the  other  two  to  steady  it.  By  having 
the  middle  and  third  fingers  both  on  the  'trigger,  you  give  a 
pressure  rather  than  a  pull  to  it,  and  they  will  soon  come  to 
give  that  pressure  at  the  very  moment  when  the  first  finger 
gets  on  the  mark  aimed  at.  Now  try  it  half  a  dozen  times 
with  the  pistol  unloaded,  and  after  pressing  the  trigger  keep 
your  hand  and  arm  in  as  nearly  the  same  position,  so  as  to  see 
if  it  is  pointing  truly  at  the  mark.  Very  good  !  Now  try 
with  the  left  hand.  There,  you  see,  that  hand  is  not  so  ac- 
customed to  its  work,  and  though  you  might  have  hit  the  tar- 
get, I  doubt  if  either  of  the  shots  would  have  struck  the  inner 
circle.  Now  we  will  try  with  the  pistol  loaded." 

Six  shots  were  fired  alternately  with  the  right  and  left 
hand.  Those  of  the  former  were  all  within  a  few  inches  of 
the  bull's-eye,  while  none  of  the  others  went  wide  of  the  out- 
side. 

"Very  good,  indeed,"  the  gunsmith  said.  "I  don't  hesi- 
tate to  say  that  in  a  very  short  time  you  will  become  a  fair 
shot,  and  at  the  end  of  three  months,  if  you  practise  regularly, 
a  first-class  one.  Your  hand  is  very  steady,  your  eye  true, 
and  you  have  plenty  of  nerve.  Now,  sir,  I  should  advise  you 
to  keep  that  unloaded  pistol  in  the  drawer  of  your  table,  and 
whenever  you  have  nothing  else  to  do,  spend  five  minutes  in 
taking  quick  aims  at  marks  on  the  wall,  using  your  hands  al- 
ternately. Now,  Captain  Lister,  will  you  try  a  few  shots?  " 

Taking  a  steady  aim,  Captain  Lister  put  his  bullets  almost 
every  time  into  the  bull's-eye,  but,  to  Frank's  surprise,  when 


PISTOL    PRACTICE  147 

he  came  to  try  quick  firing  in  the  way  he  had  himself  done, 
the  captain's  shooting  was  much  less  accurate  than  his  own. 

"It  is  a  question  of  eye,"  the  gunsmith  said  next  day, 
when  Frank  was  alone  with  him.  "  You  see  Captain  Lister's 
shooting  was  fair  when  he  took  a  steady  aim,  but  directly  he 
came  to  fire  as  he  would  in  action,  and  that  without  the  dis- 
turbing influences  of  excitement  and  of  the  motion  of  his 
horse,  he  was  nowhere.  He  did  not  even  once  hit  the  target 
in  firing  with  his  left  hand.  He  would  certainly  have  missed 
his  man  and  would  have  got  cut  down  a  moment  later,  and 
even  with  his  right  hand  his  shooting  was  very  wild." 

Captain  Lister  himself  was  evidently  disconcerted  at  finding 
how  useless  his  target  practice  would  be  to  him  in  the  field, 
and,  two  or  three  times  in  the  next  week,  went  with  Frank  to 
practise.  He  improved  with  his  right  hand,  but  did  not  seem 
to  obtain  any  accuracy  in  firing  with  his  left,  while  Frank,  at 
the  end  of  a  month,  came  to  shoot  as  well  with  one  hand  as 
with  the  other. 

Frank  worked  steadily  at  Russian,  and  although  he  found  it 
extremely  difficult  at  first,  soon  began  to  make  progress  under 
his  teacher,  who  took  the  greatest  pains  with  him.  He  soon 
got  over  the  good-tempered  chaff  of  the  subalterns  of  his  detach- 
ment, who,  finding  that  he  was  at  other  times  always  ready  to 
join  in  anything  going  on,  and  was  wholly  unruffled  by  their 
jokes,  soon  gave  it  up.  They  agreed  among  themselves  that 
he  was  a  queer  fellow,  and  allowed  him  to  go  his  own  way 
without  interference.  At  the  end  of  three  months  he  was  dis- 
charged from  drill  and  riding  school,  and  had  thenceforth  a 
great  deal  more  time  on  his  hands,  and  was  able  to  devote 
three  hours  of  a  morning  and  two  of  an  afternoon  to  Russian. 

He  was  delighted  with  his  master,  whom  he  came  to  esteem 
highly,  finding  him  a  most  intelligent  companion  as  well  as  an 
unwearied  teacher.  Strelinski,  indeed,  would  have  been  glad 
to  have  devoted  twelve  hours  a  day  instead  of  five,  could 


148  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

Frank  have  afforded  the  time.  He  was  a  very  different  man 
now  to  what  he  was  when  he  had  first  called  at  Sir  Robert 
Wilson's  lodgings.  He  looked  well  and  happy  ;  his  cheeks 
had  filled  out,  and  he  carried  himself  well  ;  he  dressed  with 
scrupulous  care,  and  when  Frank  had  no  engagement  with  his 
comrades,  the  Pole  accompanied  him  on  long  rides  on  his 
spare  charger,  he  having  been  accustomed  to  riding  from  his 
childhood.  From  him  Frank  learned  a  great  deal  of  the  state 
of  things  in  Poland  and  Russia,  and  gained  a  considerable  in- 
sight into  European  politics,  besides  picking  up  a  more  inti- 
mate colloquial  knowledge  of  Russian  than  he  gained  at  his 
lessons.  Of  an  evening  Frank  not  un frequently  went  to  par- 
ties in  the  town.  The  gallant  deeds  of  our  troops  in  Spain 
had  raised  the  military  to  great  popularity  throughout  the 
country,  and  the  houses  of  all  the  principal  inhabitants  of  Can- 
terbury were  hospitably  opened  to  officers  of  the  garrison. 

Many  of  the  young  men  preferred  billiards  and  cards  in  the 
mess-room,  but  Frank,  who  declined  to  play  billiards,  and  had 
not  acquired  sufficient  skill  at  cards  to  take  a  hand  at  whist, 
was  very  glad  to  accept  these  invitations.  He  specially  en- 
joyed going  to  the  houses  of  the  clergy  in  the  precincts  of  the 
cathedral  ;  most  of  them  were  very  musical,  and  Frank,  who 
had  never  heard  much  music  at  Weymouth,  enjoyed  intensely 
the  old  English  glees,  madrigals,  and  catches  performed  with 
a  perfection  that  at  that  time  would  have  been  hard  to  meet 
with  except  in  cathedral  towns. 

After  three  months  the  gunmaker  no  longer  accompanied 
Frank  to  his  shooting-gallery. 

"  It  would  be  robbing  you  to  go  on  with  you  any  longer,  Mr. 
Wyatt.  When  a  man  can  turn  round,  fire  on  the  instant  and 
hit  a  penny  nine  times  out  of  ten  at  a  distance  of  twelve  paces, 
there  is  no  one  can  teach  him  anything  more.  You  have 
the  best  eye  of  any  gentleman  I  ever  came  across,  and  in  the 
twenty  years  that  I  have  been  here  I  have  had  hundreds  of 


PISTOL    PRACTICE  149 

officers  at  this  gallery,  many  of  them  considered  crack  shots. 
But  I  should  go  on  practising,  if  I  were  you,  especially  with 
your  left  hand.  It  is  not  quite  so  good  as  the  right  yet,  al- 
though very  nearly  so.  I  will  come  down  once  a  week  or  so 
and  throw  up  a  ball  to  you  or  spin  a  penny  in  the  air ;  there  is 
nothing  like  getting  to  hit  a  moving  object.  In  the  meantime 
you  can  go  on  practising  at  that  plummet  swinging  from  the 
string.  You  can  do  that  as  well  by  yourself  as  if  I  were  with 
you,  for  when  you  once  set  it  going  it  will  keep  on  for  five 
minutes.  It  is  not  so  good  as  throwing  up  a  penny,  because 
it  makes  a  regular  curve  ;  but  shooting,  as  you  do,  with  your 
back  to  it,  and  so  not  able  to  tell  where  it  will  be  when  you 
turn  round,  that  don't  so  much  matter." 

"  What  is  the  best  shooting  you  ever  heard  of  ?  " 

"  The  best  shot  I  ever  heard  tell  of  was  Major  Rathmines. 
He  could  hit  a  penny  thrown  up  into  the  air  nineteen  times 
out  of  twenty." 

"  Well,  I  will  go  on  practising  until  I  can  do  that," 
Frank  said.  "If  a  thing  is  worth  doing  it  is  worth  doing 
well." 

"  And  you  will  doit,  Mr.  Wyatt  ;  there  is  nothing  you 
could  not  do  with  practice." 

"  There  is  one  thing  I  wish  you  would  do  for  me — that  fig- 
ure you  have  got  painted  as  a  target  is  ridiculous.  I  wish  you 
would  get  some  one  who  has  an  idea  of  painting  to  do  another 
figure.  I  want  it  painted,  not  standing  square  to  me,  but 
sideways,  as  a  man  stands  when  he  fights  a  duel.  I  want  it 
drawn  with  the  arm  up,  just  in  the  same  position  that  a  man 
would  stand  in  firing.  I  hope  I  shall  never  be  called  upon  to 
fight  a  duel.  I  think  it  is  a  detestable  practice  ;  but  unfort- 
unately it  is  so  common  that  no  one  can  calculate  on  keeping 
out  of  it — especially  in  the  army." 

"  Well,  sir,  you  need  not  be  afraid  of  fighting  a  du.'l,  for 
you  fire  so  mighty  quick  that  you  would  be  certain  of  getting 


150  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

in  the  first  shot,  and  if  you  got  first  shot  there  would  be  an 
end  of  it." 

"  Yes,  but  that  would  be  simple  murder — neither  more  nor 
less,  whatever  people  might  call  it — and  I  doubt  whether,  ac- 
customed as  I  am  to  fire  instantly  the  moment  I  catch  sight  of 
a  thing,  that  I  could  help  hitting  a  man  in  the  head.  Now 
what  I  want  to  become  accustomed  to  is  to  fire  at  the  hand. 
I  should  never  forgive  myself  if  I  killed  a  man.  But  if  ever 
I  did  go  out  with  a  notorious  duellist  who  forced  the  duel  up- 
on me,  I  should  like  to  stop  his  shooting  for  the  rest  of  his 
life.  So  I  want  to  be  able  to  hit  his  hand  to  a  certainty.  Of 
course  the  hand  is  an  easy  enough  mark,  and  by  getting  ac- 
customed to  the  height  and  the  exact  position  it  would  be  in, 
I  should  get  to  hit  it  without  fail." 

"A  very  good  idea,  sir.  The  hand  is  not  much  of  a  mark 
when  holding  a  pistol,  still  it  is  a  good  bit  bigger  than  a  penny 
piece,  and  you  would  soon  get  to  hit  it  just  as  certainly." 

For  the  next  three  months  Frank  fired  fifty  shots  a  day — 
twenty-five  with  each  hand — and  at  the  end  of  that  time  could 
hit  a  penny  thrown  up  by  Woodall,    eighteen   times  out  of 
twenty. 

"  That  is  good  enough,"  he  said  ;  "  now  I  shall  only  prac- 
tise once  a  week,  to  keep  my  hand  in." 

Frank  had  not  been  without  an  incentive  to  gain  exceptional 
proficiency  with  a  pistol.  Although  he  got  on  very  well  with 
his  comrades  of  his  own  depot,  there  was  a  captain  of  a  lancer 
regiment  who  had  not  unfrequently  taxed  his  patience  to  its 
farthest  limit.  The  man  was  a  noted  duellist,  and  was  known 
to  be  a  dead  shot.  On  the  strength  of  this,  he  was  in  the  habit 
of  making  remarks  so  offensive,  that  they  would  have  at  once 
been  taken  up,  if  uttered  by  anyone  else  in  barracks.  For 
the  last  two  months  he  had  made  a  special  butt  of  a  young 
cornet,  who  had  recently  joined  the  depot  of  the  Dragoons. 
He  was  a  pleasant  lad,  with  plenty  of  spirit  and  pluck,  but  he 


PISTOL    PRACTICE  151 

had  a  slight  impediment  in  his  speech,  although  when  giving 
the  word  of  command  he  never  hesitated.  It  was  this  defect 
that  was  the  object  of  Captain  Marshall's  ill-natured  remarks. 
The  lad  tried  to  laugh  them  off  and  to  ignore  the  offensiveness 
of  the  tone,  but  he  felt  them  deeply,  and  confided  to  Frank — 
to  whom  he  had  specially  taken — that  he  could  not  stand  it 
much  longer. 

"  I  never  used  a  pistol  in  my  life  until  you  advised  me  the 
other  day  to  take  some  lessons  from  Woodall,  and  of  course  he 
would  put  a  bullet  through  my  head;  but  I  can't  help  that. 
As  it  is,  everyone  must  think  me  a  coward  for  standing  it, 
and  at  any  rate  I  can  show  them  that  I  am  not  that." 

"  Don't  you  mind,  Wilmington,"  Frank  said  one  day, 
"  and  don't  make  a  fool  of  yourself.  You  put  up  with  it  a 
little  longer,  and  something  may  occur  to  put  a  stop  to  it. 
He  may  go  away  on  leave,  or  he  may  get  a  hint  that  he  had 
better  retire  from  the  service.  I  have  heard  that  it  is  likely 
enough  that  he  will  get  a  hint  the  next  time  he  has  an  affair 
of  this  sort.  The  last  two  were  with  civilians,  and  I  believe 
that  is  the  reason  why  so  few  accept  our  invitations  to  mess ; 
but  I  fancy  if  he  gets  into  trouble  again  with  one  of  ourselves 
he  will  have  to  go." 

"  Well,  I  will  try  to  go  on  a  little  longer  if  you  say  so, 
Wyatt,  but—" 

"  There  are  no  '  buts  '  in  it,  Wilmington.  You  must  give 
me  your  word  of  honour  that  you  will  go  on  as  you  have 
done.  Don't  be  afraid  of  anyone  thinking  you  a  coward. 
There  is  no  cowardice  in  refusing  to  fight  a  man  who  is  so 
much  your  superior  in  skill  that  it  would  be  nothing  short  of 
suicide  in  standing  up  against  him.  I  have  a  private  reason 
for  believing  that  it  won't  last  long." 

"  In  that  case  I  will  give  you  my  word  of  honour,  Frank." 

A  week  later  there  was  an  unusually  large  party  at  mess, 
the  depots  were  very  strong,  and  some  forty  officers  sat 


152  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

down ;  and  it  being  a  guest  night,  four  or  five  civilians  were 
present.  Dinner  went  on  without  incident  until  one  of  the 
mesi  waiters  asked  Wilmington  whether  he  would  take  sirloin 
of  beef  or  goose.  He  replied,  "  B-b-b-b-beef. "  There  hap- 
pened to  be  a  slight  lull  in  the  conversation  at  the  moment, 
and  Wilmington's  effort  to  get  the  word  out  made  him  raise 
his  voice  so  that  it  was  generally  heard. 

"  Waiter,"  Captain  Marshall  said  loudly,  "  bring  me  some 
g-g-g-g-goose." 

Wilmington's  face  flushed  and  then  turned  deadly  pale. 
He  looked  appealingly  at  Frank,  who  was  sitting  next  to  him. 
The  latter  whispered,  "  Remember  your  word  of  honour. 
Get  up  and  leave  the  room."  There  was  a  dead  hush  from 
those  present  as  the  young  cornet  rose  and  left  the  room,  and 
then  a  low  murmur  of  indignation.  Captain  Marshall  looked 
round  searchingly,  as  if  to  pick  out  one  of  those  who  had 
thus  shown  signs  of  resentment.  But  directly  the  door 
closed  upon  Wilmington,  Frank  rose  to  his  feet. 

"  I  wish,  Mr.  President,"  he  said  in  a  clear,  steady  voice, 
"to  ask  you,  whether  a  man  who,  relying  upon  his  skill 
with  the  pistol,  wantonly  insults  another,  is  not  a  blackguard 
and  unfit  for  the  society  of  gentlemen  ?  " 

Had  a  thunderbolt  fallen  in  the  room  those  present  could 
not  have  been  more  surprised.  Some  of  Frank's  comrades 
knew  that  he  often  went  to  Woodall's  shooting-gallery  to 
practise  with  the  pistol,  but  they  had  no  idea  that  he  had 
attained  any  great  skill  in  its  use,  and  their  impression  when 
he  spoke  was  that  he  must  have  gone  out  of  his  mind  thus 
publicly  to  insult  Marshall.  The  latter  was  at  least  as  much 
astonished  as  anyone  else.  He  started  as  if  struck  with  a 
blow,  and  then,  leaning  across  the  table,  he  said  in  a  low 
voice  to  Frank,  who  was  sitting  just  opposite  to  him  : 

"  Of  course,  you  are  prepared  to  answer  to  me  for  this,  Mr. 
Wyatt  ?  ' ' 


PISTOL    PRACTICE  153 

"  Certainly,"  Frank  said  carelessly  ;  "  and  at  any  time  you 
please. ' ' 

There  was  a  strange  hush  in  the  dining-room  until  the 
cloth  was  removed.  The  guests,  under  one  excuse  or  another, 
took  their  departure  almost  immediately  after  the  king's 
health  had  been  drunk ;  the  officers  talked  in  low  tones 
together,  and  very  soon  rose  from  the  table. 

"  Will  you  act  for  me,  Captain  Lister?  "  Frank  said,  going 
up  to  him  quietly. 

"  Certainly,  lad  ;  but  this  is  a  horrible  business.  If  it  had 
been  merely  an  ordinary  quarrel  the  colonel  would  have 
interfered  to  stop  it,  but  after  what  you  said  before  us  all,  and 
with  strangers  present  too,  I  am  afraid  it  must  go  on.  You 
must  be  mad,  lad.  I  have  not  seen  you  shoot  since  that  first 
evening  when  we  went  down,  and  two  or  three  times  shortly 
afterwards.  Woodall  told  me  that  you  were  getting  on  well ; 
but  however  well  you  may  have  got  on,  you  can  be  no  match 
with  a  pistol  for  a  man  like  Marshall  ;  and  you  may  be  sure 
he  won't  spare  you  after  so  public  an  affront." 

"I  must  take  my  chance,"  Frank  said  quietly.  He  had 
himself  begged  the  gunmaker  to  say  little  to  anyone  about 
his  shooting.  "  Come  across  to  my  quarters.  I  suppose  he 
will  be  sending  over  there  at  once." 

They  had  just  taken  their  seats  when  there  was  a  hurried 
knock  on  the  door,  and  Wilmington  came  in,  pale  and  agi- 
tated. 

"  This  cannot  go  on,  Wyatt  !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  You  put 
me  on  my  word  of  honour  and  then  take  it  up  yourself. 
Don't  you  see  that  I  am  hopelessly  disgraced  in  letting  you 
be  Marshall's  victim  for  what  he  said  of  me.  I  shall  go  to 
him  and  insist  upon  my  right  to  take  the  matter  up  myself." 

"  Sit  down  a  minute,  Wilmington,  and  be  reasonable.  If 
I  get  shot  you  can,  if  you  like,  go  out  and  get  shot  next  day. 
But  1  don't  mean  to  get  shot.  There  is  one  broad  distinction 


154  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

between  you  and  me — you  can't  shoot,  and  I  can.  Marshall 
could  kill  you  without  the  slightest  risk  to  himself,  and  I 
flatter  myself  that  if  I  chose  to  do  so,  I  could  kill  him  with 
the  same  certainty.  I  shall  not  choose  to  do  so.  I  don't 
want  the  blood  of  any  man — not  even  of  a  ruffian  like  this — 
to  rest  upon  my  head.  I  shall  simply  prevent  him  from  ever 
fighting  another  duel." 

Captain  Lister  and  the  young  cornet  gazed  at  Frank  as  if 
they  doubted  his  sanity. 

"Do  you  quite  know  what  you  are  saying,  lad?"  the 
former  said  kindly,  after  a  pause.  "  You  don't  look  as  if  you 
had  been  taking  anything  before  dinner,  and  we  know  that 
you  are  always  abstemious  at  mess;  still  you  are  talking 
strangely. ' ' 

"  I  daresay  you  think  so,"  Frank  replied  with  a  smile. 
"  You  fancy  the  excitement  of  this  quarrel  has  a  little  turned 
my  head.  But  it  has  not  done  so.  In  the  first  place,  I  have 
learnt  to  be  so  quick  in  firing  that  I  am  sure  to  get  first  shot." 

"  Yes,  you  might  do  that,  lad,"  Captain  Lister  said  sadly ; 
"  but  it  would  be  the  very  worst  thing  you  could  do.  With 
a  hurried  shot  like  that  it  would  be  ten  to  one  you  missed 
him,  and  then  he  would  quietly  shoot  you  down." 

"  Not  only  shall  I  not  miss  him,"  Frank  replied,  "  but  I  will 
lay  you  any  wager  you  like  that  I  will  carry  off  his  trigger- 
finger,  and  probably  the  second  and  third.  Feel  my  hand. 
You  see  I  am  perfectly  cool — as  cool  as  I  shall  be  to-morrow 
— and  I  do  not  think  there  is  anything  wild  about  my  eye. 
It  is  simply  as  I  say  :  I  am  a  first-rate  shot — probably  as  much 
better  than  Marshall  as  he  is  better  than  Wilmington.  Ah, 
here  is  his  man  !  Please  arrange  it  for  to-morrow  morning, 
if  possible.  The  sooner  it  is  over  the  better." 

Captain  Lister  nodded  and  went  out.  He  returned  in  a 
quarter  of  an  hour. 

"  It  is  to  come  off  to-morrow,"  he  said,  "  at  six  o'clock. 


PISTOL    PRACTICE  155 

It  is  to  be  in  the  field  outside  the  wall,  on  the  other  side  of 
the  town.  I  have  told  my  man  to  have  the  dogcart  ready  at 
half-past  five.  It  did  not  take  us  long  to  arrange  matters. 
His  second  is  Rankin,  of  his  regiment;  and  I  don't  think  he 
liked  the  job  at  all.  He  began  by  saying : 

"  '  I  am  afraid,  Captain  Lister,  that  there  is  no  chance  of 
our  arranging  this  unhappy  business.  Nothing  short  of  a  pub- 
lic apology,  and  the  acknowledgment  that  Mr.  Wyatt  was  in 
liquor  when  he  uttered  the  words  will  satisfy  my  principal,  and 
I  had  great  difficulty  in  bringing  him  even  to  assent  to  that. ' 

"  I  said  that  you  had  not  the  most  remote  idea  of  making 
any  apology  whatever.  Therefore,  we  had  only  to  arrange 
the  preliminaries  of  a  meeting. 

"This  was  soon  done.  I  could  see  that  the  young  fellow 
was  very  much  cut  up  over  the  affair,  and  that  he  had  under- 
taken to  act  for  Marshall  because  he  was  afraid  to  refuse.  It 
did  not  take  us  five  minutes  altogether.  I  looked  in  at  the 
doctor's  after  we  separated,  to  ask  him  to  go  with  us. 

"  '  It  is  none  of  my  aid  you  are  likely  to  want,  Captain 
Lister,'  he  said,  '  and  I  protest  against  the  whole  affair;  it 
is  nothing  short  of  cold-blooded  murder.  Still,  of  course,  I 
will  go.' 

"And  now,  lad,  let  us  hear  something  more  about  your 
shooting." 

"It  is  just  as  I  told  you,  Captain  Lister.  I  suppose  I  have 
an  unusually  good  eye  and  steady  hand,  and  have  a  sort  of 
natural  aptitude  for  shooting. "  Woodall  said  that  he  consid- 
ered me  as  good  a  shot  as  any  man  in  the  country,  if  not  bet- 
ter. I  am  afraid  we  mustn't  fire  a  pistol  here,  or  I  think  I 
could  convince  you." 

"  No,  we  mustn't  fire  in  barracks  at  this  time  of  the  even- 
ing, Wyatt.  But  if  you  are  as  good  as  that,  the  prospects  are 
better  than  I  thought  they  were.  What  can  you  do,  lad  ?  " 

"  I  can  hit  a  penny  spun  up  into  the  air  eighteen  times  out 


lf>6  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

of  twenty  with  my  right  hand,  and  sixteen  or  seventeen  with 
my  left." 

"  Is  that  so?  Well,  that  ought  to  Ije  good  enough  for  any- 
thing," Lister  said.  "It  sounds  almost  miraculous.  Now, 
let  us  have  a  look  at  your  pistols,  lad." 

"  They  are  all  right,"  Frank  said.  "  I  was  using  them  this 
afternoon,  and  cleaned  them  when  I  came  back." 

"  And  you  really  mean  to  aim  at  his  hand?  " 

Frank  nodded. 

"  Well,  of  course,  if  you  go  a  little  high  or  a  little  low  you 
will  still  have  him ;  but  if  you  go  an  inch  or  two  wide  you 
may  miss  him  altogether.  I  would  much  rather,  lad,  that  you 
aimed  at  the  body.  The  fellow  has  never  shown  mercy  to 
anyone,  and  there  is  no  reason  why  you  should  show  mercy  to 
him." 

"  Don't  be  afraid  of  my  missing  him."  And  Frank  spoke 
so  confidently  that  his  hearers  felt  satisfied  he  must  at  least 
have  some  good  foundation  for  his  faith  in  his  skill. 

"  Well,  I  think  you  had  better  turn  in  now,  Wyatt.  Will 
you  come  across  and  have  a  cup  of  coffee  with  me  before  you 
start?" 

"  Thank  you.  Will  you  mind  sending  your  servant  across 
to  call  me  at  a  quarter  to  five  ?  I  am  not  at  all  good  at  wak- 
ing myself. ' ' 

"All  right,  lad;  I  don't  think  lam  likely  to  get  much 
sleep. ' ' 

"  Don't  say  much  to  the  others  when  you  go  out,"  Frank 
said.  "  You  can  tell  them  that,  from  what  I  say,  it  won't  be 
such  a  one-sided  affair  as  they  seem  to  think." 

"  All  right.  I  will  tell  them  as  much  as  that,  for  they  are 
in  such  a  state  of  mind  about  it  that  it  would  be  kind  to  give 
them  a  little  consolation." 

"  By  the  way,  Captain  Lister,  do  I  go  out  in  uniform  or  in 
mufti?" 


PISTOL    PRACTICE  157 

•'  In  mufti,  lad.  Put  on  a  gray  or  dark-coloured  suit. 
Gray  is  the  best;  but,  above  all,  don't  take  a  coat  with  con- 
spicuous buttons  or  anything  to  catch  the  eye,  that  would  be 
a  fatal  mistake.  Good  night,  lad ;  I  shall  turn  in  in  better 
spirits  than  I  expected  to  do." 

Wilmington  did  not  speak,  but  grasped  Frank's  hand 
warmly. 

"  Don't  come  out  to-morrow,"  Frank  said. 

"  I  couldn't,"  the  lad  replied  in  a  broken  voice,  "but  I 
shall  see  you  before  you  start." 

"  The  major  will  come  on  with  the  doctor,"  Captain  Lis- 
ter said,  as,  after  taking  their  coffee  next  morning,  they  went 
out  to  the  trap  standing  at  the  door.  Frank  looked  round 
the  barrack  yard,  but  no  one  was  about.  "  I  sent  them  all 
away  before  you  came,  Wyatt.  The  lads  all  looked  so  woe- 
begone that  I  put  it  to  them  whether  they  considered  that  the 
sight  of  their  faces  was  likely  to  improve  your  nerve.  As  to 
young  Wilmington,  he  was  like  a  ghost.  I  had  almost  to 
threaten  to  put  him  under  arrest  before  I  could  persuade  him 
to  go  without  seeing  you.  No  one  will  be  there  but  the  major. 
He  told  me  that  he  considered  it  his  duty  to  represent  the 
regiment,  but  he  quite  approved  of  all  the  others  staying  away. 
He  said  the  fewer  there  were  present  at  an  infamous  business 
like  this  the  better.  By  the  way,  I  made  a  condition  with 
Rankin  that  you  were  to  be  placed  back  to  back,  and  neither 
was  to  move  until  the  signal  was  given  ;  and  I  insisted  that 
this  should  be  by  pistol  shot,  as  otherwise  you  could  not  both 
see  the  signal  equally  well.  I  said  that  this  was  fairer  than 
for  you  to  stand  face  to  face,  and  would  increase  the  chances 
of  the  affair  not  being  a  fatal  one." 

"  Thank  you,  Lister.  I  was  wondering  whether  you  had 
made  that  condition,  for  if  we  stood  ready  to  fire  he  might  draw 
his  trigger  before  I  did,  and  things  might  go  quite  differently  to 
what  I  had  decided  on.  A  bad  marksman  might  hold  his 


158  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

fire,  but  Marshall  would  rely  so  implicitly  on  his  skill  that  he 
would  be  sure  to  try  and  get  first  shot ;  for  if  I  fired  first  and 
missed,  he  would  know  that  the  feeling  against  him  if  he  shot 
me  down  afterwards  would  be  very  strong. ' ' 

11  Now  jump  up,  lad  ;  I  will  take  the  reins.  All  right." 
The  soldier  servant  standing  at  the  head  of  the  horse  re- 
leased the  hold  of  the  reins,  swung  himself  up  behind  as  the 
horse  started  and  they  drove  out  through  the  barracks  gates, 
followed  by  the  eyes  of  all  Frank's  comrades  who,  as  soon  as 
they  heard  the  sound  of  the  wheels,  ran  to  their  windows  or 
doors  to  take,  as  they  believed,  their  last  look  at  him.  They 
had,  indeed,  obtained  slight  consolation  from  the  words  with 
which  Captain  Lister  had  sent  them  off  to  their  quarters — 
"  Keep  up  your  spirits,  lads.  There  is  many  a  slip  between 
the  cup  and  the  lip,  and  I  have  strong  hopes  that  the  affair  is 
not  going  to  turn  out  as  bad  as  you  fancy. ' ' 


CHAPTER   IX 

A   DUEL 

CAPTAIN  LISTER  was  very  much  more  nervous  than  his 
V_y  principal  as  they  drove  on  to  the  ground.  In  spite  of 
Frank's  confidence  he  could  not  bring  himself  to  believe  that 
the  young  fellow  could  be  a  match  for  a  practised  duellist, 
although  he  had,  after  he  had  left  Frank's  room  the  evening 
before,  gone  into  the  town  and  knocked  up  the  gunmaker, 
who  had  sometime  before  gone  to  bed.  When,  however, 
Captain  Lister  confided  to  him  the  nature  of  his  errand,  he 
fully  confirmed  what  Frank  had  said. 

"  Of  course,  I  have  not  seen  him  stand  up  before  a  man 
with  a  pistol  in  his  hand,"  he  said,  "but  as  far  as  shooting 
goes  I  would  back  him  against  any  man  in  England  ;  and  I 


A    DUEL  159 

don't  think,  Captain  Lister,  that  you  need  be  afraid  of  him 
in  the  matter  of  nerve.  Pistol  shooting  depends  upon  two 
things — nerve  and  eye  ;  and  he  could  never  be  the  shot  he  is 
if  he  had  not  an  extraordinary  amount  of  both  qualities.  I 
will  wager  that  he  will  be  as  cool  as  a  cucumber.  How  are 
they  to  stand  ?  " 

"  Back  to  back,  and  to  turn  at  the  signal  of  a  pistol  shot." 

"  Then  he  is  all  right,  Captain.  You  need  not  worry  about 
him.  He  is  as  quick  as  lightning,  and  he  will  get  first  shot, 
never  fear,  and  more  than  that,  I  wouldn't  mind  betting  that 
he  carries  off  one  of  the  fellow's  fingers." 

"  Why,  how  do  you  know  that?  "  Captain  Lister  asked  in 
surprise.  "He  can't  have  been  here  since  I  left  him." 

"  No,  sir,  he  has  not  been  here  ;  but  he  told  me  that  if  he 
ever  got  into  a  duel  he  would  aim  at  his  opponent's  hand, 
and  he  has  been  practising  specially  for  that.  He  had  a  target 
made  on  purpose,  but  that  did  not  please  him,  and  we  rigged 
out  an  arm  holding  a  pistol  and  fixed  it  to  the  target  just  in 
the  position  it  would  be  if  the  painted  figure  were  firing  at 
him.  We  had  to  have  a  rough  sort  of  hand  made  of  iron, 
for  it  would  have  cost  a  fortune  if  had  been  made  of  anything 
else.  Sometimes  he  would  have  it  painted  white,  sometimes 
gray,  sometimes  black,  either  of  which  it  might  be,  if  a  man 
wore  gloves,  but  it  did  not  make  any  difference  to  him  ;  and 
I  have  seen  him  hit  it  twenty  times  following,  over  and  over 
again." 

All  this  had  been  very  reassuring  to  Captain  Lister,  and  if 
it  had  not  been  for  Marshall's  reputation  he  would  have  gone 
to  the  place  of  meeting  feeling  confident  that  all  would  go 
well,  but  the  fact  that  it  was  Frank's  first  duel,  while  Mar- 
shall had  been  in  some  eight  or  ten  affairs,  prevented  his 
feeling  otherwise  than  nervous  as  to  the  result.  They  were 
first  upon  the  ground ;  the  major  and  doctor  arriving  two 
minutes  later. 


160  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  You  may  as  well  tell  the  major,  Captain  Lister,  that  he 
need  not  be  alarmed.  He  is  looking  terribly  anxious,  and  so 
is  the  doctor." 

Captain  Lister  nodded,  and  went  up  to  them  as  they  dis- 
mounted from  the  gig.  "  I  fancy  that  it  is  going  to  be  all 
right,  doctor,"  he  said,  "  Wyatt  tells  me  so  himself,  and  what 
he  says  is  confirmed  by  Woodall,  the  gunsmith.  It  seems  the 
lad  is  an  extraordinarily  good  shot.  I  told  you  last  night 
that  he  had  been  practising  a  good  deal,  but  I  did  not  like  to 
raise  your  hopes  too  high  until  I  had  seen  Woodall.  I  will 
bet  you  a  guinea  that  Wyatt  comes  out  of  it  all  right." 

"  I  could  not  bet  on  it,  Lister,  though  I  would  pay  the 
guinea  with  greater  pleasure  than  I  ever  felt  at  winning  one ; 
but  I  hear  that  Marshall  is  a  very  quick  shot." 

"So  is  Wyatt,  major,  and  as  the  young  'un  has  been 
practising  regularly,  I  fancy  he  will  be  as  quick  or  quicker 
than  the  other." 

"  Well,  I  hope  to  heaven  that  it  may  turn  out  so.  Nothing 
would  please  me  more  than  that  Wyatt  should  put  a  ball  into 
the  fellow's  head.  Men  like  him  are  a  curse  to  the  army." 

"  I  don't  think  he  will  put  a  ball  in  his  head,  major,  but  I 
shall  not  be  surprised  if  he  carries  off  one  of  his  fingers.  He 
has  conscientious  scruples  about  killing  the  man,  and  he  is  go- 
ing to  aim  at  his  hand." 

The  Major  shook  his  head.  "  I  am  afraid  that  settles  it, 
Lister.  It  may  do  for  a  good  shot  to  try  experiments  of  that 
sort  with  a  bad  one,  but  not  against  a  man  like  Marshall.  It 
would  be  far  better  for  him  to  aim  at  the  body.  That  is  a 
good  big  mark,  and  if  he  is  as  good  a  shot  as  you  say,  and  is 
quick  enough  to  pull  his  trigger  first,  it  would  make  matters 
safe,  but  as  to  aiming  at  his  hand  it  would  be  sheer  madness. 
You  tell  him  what  I  think  of  it.  Ah  !  here  comes  the 
others." 

As  soon  as  Captain  Marshall  and  his  second  alighted,  the 


A    DUEL  161 

latter  came  forward  and  spoke  to  Captain  Lister.  They  talked 
for  a  minute  together  and  then  proceeded  to  choose  the  ground. 
This  was  quickly  done,  as  there  were  no  trees,  and  it  being  a 
cloudy  morning  neither  party  would  have  any  advantage  from 
the  light.  The  two  cases  of  pistols  were  then  examined.  They 
were  of  the  same  calibre  and  about  the  same  weight,  and  Mar- 
shall's second  at  once  agreed  to  Captain  Lister's  proposal  that 
each  should  fire  with  his  own  pistol,  so  that  neither  should  be 
placed  at  the  disadvantage  of  using  a  weapon  that  he  was  un- 
accustomed to.  Captain  Lister  proposed  that  they  should  toss 
which  of  the  two  seconds  should  fire  the  signal,  but  Rankin 
said,  "  I  would  rather  not  do  it,  Captain  Lister.  I  need 
hardly  tell  you  that  I  would  give  anything  not  to  be  here  in 
my  present  capacity,  and  I.  would  very  much  rather  that  a 
third  party  should  fire  it — either  your  major  or  the  surgeon." 

Lister  went  across  to  the  major,  who  at  once  consented  to 
give  the  signal.  The  pistols  were  then  loaded,  the  ground 
measured,  and  the  principals  placed  in  position.  The  major 
took  two  pistols — one  loaded  with  ball,  the  other  with  powder 
only,  and  then  placed  himself  some  ten  paces  on  one  side  of 
the  line  of  fire. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  "  gentlemen,  I  shall  say  '  Are  you  ready?  ' 
and  on  receiving  no  answer  shall  fire ;  but  mind  I  am  deter- 
mined that  if  either  of  you  makes  a  move  to  turn,  or  raises  his 
arm  by  as  much  as  an  inch  from  his  side  before  he  hears  the 
shot  I  will  shoot  him  down  at  once.  Do  you  both  understand 
that  ?  ' ' 

Both  answered  "  Yes." 

He  waited  a  moment,  and  then  said  "Are  you  ready?" 
Then  a  second  later  he  fired.  Both  the  antagonists  turned 
swiftly  on  their  heels,  their  arms  going  up  as  they  did  so. 
Then  the  two  shots  rang  out.  They  seemed  almost  simultane- 
ous ;  but  Captain  Lister,  whose  eyes  were  fixed  on  Marshall, 
saw  that  his  hand  jerked  in  the  act  of  firing,  and  that  his  ball 


162  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

must  have  flown  high.  At  the  same  moment  his  pistol  fell  to 
the  ground,  and  he  staggered  back  a  pace.  Then,  with  an 
exclamation  of  fury,  he  caught  his  right  hand  in  his  left,  and 
stood  rocking  himself  in  pain.  His  second  and  the  surgeon 
ran  up  to  him. 

"  Are  you  hit,  Marshall?  "  the  former  said. 

"Of  course  I  am  hit,"  he  said  savagely.  "You  don't 
suppose  I  should  have  dropped  the  pistol  if  I  hadn't  been.  I 
believe  that  young  villain  has  carried  off  one  of  my  fingers. ' ' 

"  I  must  protest  against  this  language,  Marshall,"  Lieuten- 
ant Rankin  said  indignantly.  "I  am  bound  to  bear  testimony 
that  your  opponent  has  acted  extremely  well,  and  that  his 
conduct  has  been  that  of  an  honourable  gentleman." 

At  this  moment  Captain  Marshall  turned  deadly  pale  and 
would  have  fallen  had  not  Rankin  and  the  doctor  caught  him, 
and  lowered  him  gradually  to  the  ground. 

"  He  will  do  no  more  shooting,"  the  surgeon  said  grimly, 
"  the  ball  has  carried  off  his  trigger  finger.  Cut  his  coat- 
sleeve  off,  Rankin.  Don't  you  see  he  is  bleeding  a  great 
deal?  Lister,  please  bring  me  those  bandages  at  once." 

Captain  Lister, — who  had,  as  soon  as  he  saw  Marshall's 
pistol  fall,  run  up  to  Frank  and  grasped  his  hand  warmly, 
saying,  "  Thank  heaven,  my  dear  lad,  that  it  has  turned  out 
as  you  said  it  would.  I  congratulate  you  with  all  my  heart," 
— at  once  ran  to  fetch  the  bandages,  and  they  all  gathered 
round  the  wounded  man,  Frank  turning  very  white  as  he  saw 
him  lying  insensible. 

"  What  is  it,  doctor?  I  aimed  at  his  hand.  I  hope  it  has 
not  done  any  serious  damage,  except  there. ' '  The  latter  was 
too  busy  to  answer.  "Bring  the  tourniquet,"  he  said  to 
Rankin,  and  as  he  ran  off  he  looked  up  at  the  major. 

' '  The  ball  evidently  struck  the  first  finger  on  the  knuckle, 
and  went  in  between  the  first  and  middle  finger  and  then  ran 
up  the  wrist  and  along  the  arm,  and  has  gone  out,  as  you  see, 


"  CAPTAIN  MARSHALL'S  PISTOL  FELL  TO  THE  GROUND,  AND  HE 
STAGGERED  BACK  A  PACE." 


A    DUEL  163 

above  the  elbow,  cutting  an  artery  as  it  went,  and  smashing 
the  bone  just  above  the  elbow.  The  first  thing  is  to  stop  the 
bleeding. ' ' 

He  took  the  tourniquet  from  Rankin,  and  applied  it  two 
or  three  inches  above  the  elbow,  and  continued  to  screw  until 
the  rush  of  blood  ceased.  Then  he  bandaged  the  arm  and 
hand  and  fastened  it  across  Marshall's  chest.  "  That  is  all  I 
can  do  now,"  he  said.  "  I  think  there  is  no  doubt  I  shall 
have  to  amputate  above  the  elbow  ;  but  we  will  take  him  back 
first.  I  wish  we  had  a  stretcher." 

"  We  have  a  stretcher,"  the  major  said.  "  I  told  off  four 
men  with  one  half  an  hour  before  we  started.  I  thought  we 
should  want  it  to  bring  Wyatt  back."  He  put  a  whistle  to  his 
lips  and  blew  loudly.  A  minute  later  four  troopers  ran  out 
from  behind  a  cottage  a  hundred  yards  away.  They  had,  no 
doubt,  been  furtively  observing  the  combat,  for  there  was  an 
expression  of  gladness  and  triumph  on  their  faces  as  they  ar- 
rived. 

"  Lay  Captain  Marshall  on  the  stretcher,"  the  surgeon 
said.  "  Lift  him  carefully  and  carry  him  to  his  quarters.  I 
will  drive  on  at  once  and  get  things  ready.  I  suppose,  Mr. 
Rankin,  you  will  go  with  him.  You  had  better  cover  him 
up  with  a  rug.  Have  either  of  you  any  brandy?  I  forgot 
to  bring  any  with  me." 

"  I  have  a  flask,"  the  major  replied.  "  I  will  get  it  for  you 
at  once." 

"  We  may  as  well  be  off,  Wyatt,"  Captain  Lister  said  to 
Frank  ;  "  it  is  of  no  use  your  waiting  here  any  longer.  We 
can  do  no  good." 

"  I  am  sorry  he  is  hurt  so,"  Frank  said,  as  they  drove  off. 

"  Then  you  will  be  the  only  man  that  is,"  Captain  Lister 
replied.  ' '  You  have  rid  the  army  of  a  pest ;  that  is  to  say, 
you  have  rendered  him  harmless.  Possibly  he  may  not  re- 
tire. There  are  plenty  of  men  in  the  service  who  have  lost  an 


164  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

arm  ;  however,  I  should  think  he  will  go.  The  disgrace  will 
be  worse  to  him  than  the  wound." 

"Still,  I  am  heartily  sorry  that  I  hurt  him  so  much," 
Frank  repeated.  "  I  meant  to  take  off  one  or  two  of  his 
fingers,  and  spoil  his  shooting  for  the  rest  of  his  life ;  but  1 
never  thought  of  the  ball  going  up  his  arm  as  it  did." 

"Well,  if  you  had  not  hit  him  where  you  did,  you  would 
be  lying  on  that  stretcher  now.  It  was  a  close  thing  between 
the  two  shots,  not  more  than  a  fifth  of  a  second,  I  should 
say,  and  if  you  had  only  hit  him  in  the  body,  I  have  no  doubt 
that  he  would  have  fired  before  he  fell ;  and  if  ever  a  man 
meant  to  kill  another,  he  did.  I  could  see  it  in  his  eye,  as  he 
stood  there  waiting  for  the  signal.  Well,  Wyatt,  you  can  stop 
in  the  army  until  you  get  to  be  a  general,  but  one  thing  is 
morally  certain,  that  after  this  affair  no  one  will  venture  to 
insult  you,  and  your  first  duel  is  likely  to  be  your  last." 

"  I  sincerely  trust  so,"  Frank  said  gravely.  "I  think  I 
can  say  that  assuredly  I  shall  never  be  the  first  to  insult  any- 
one else,  and  that  if  ever  I  fight  again,  it  will,  as  in  this  case, 
not  be  in  my  own  quarrel." 

As  they  drove  along  the  straight  road  towards  the  barracks, 
they  saw  a  number  of  men  clustered  outside  the  gate. 

"  They  are  on  the  look-out,"  Captain  Lister  said.  "  They 
will  have  heard  from  the  mess  waiters  the  news  of  the  quarrel 
last  night,  and  I  don't  suppose  there  was  a  soul  in  barracks 
that  did  not  know  what  our  errand  was  when  we  drove  out 
this  morning.  I  expect  if  you  had  been  killed  they  would 
have  had  to  move  either  the  Lancers'  depot  or  ours  away 
from  Canterbury,  for  the  men  of  the  two  regiments  would 
have  been  sure  to  have  fought  whenever  they  met  each  other." 

As  soon  as  they  were  near  enough  to  the  gates  for  their 
figures  to  be  made  out,  there  was  a  sudden  movement  among 
the  men.  Several  took  off  their  caps  and  waved  them,  while 
Others  threw  them  into  the  air. 


A    DUEL  165 

"This  is  not  exactly  discipline,  Wyatt,"  Captain  Lister 
said,  with  a  smile;  "but  it  shows  conclusively  enough  that 
you  are  a  favourite  with  the  men." 

There  were  roars  of  cheering  as  they  went  in  through  the 
gates,  in  spite  of  Captain  Lister  holding  up  his  hand  and 
shaking  his  head.  As  they  drove  across  the  barrack  square  to 
Frank's  quarters  the  subalterns  came  rushing  out.  "  Glad 
indeed  to  see  you  back  again,  Wyatt,"  the  first  who  run  up 
exclaimed  ;  "so  it  was  arranged  without  fighting  after  all?  " 

"  Not  at  all,  Macalister,"  Captain  Lister  replied,  as  he 
reined  in  the  horse  at  Frank's  door.  "  Wyatt  did  exactly 
what  he  told  me  he  was  going  to  do — carried  off  Marshall's 
trigger-finger.  But  the  bullet  did  what  he  had  Hot  intended 
it  should — ran  up  the  arm  and  smashed  it  above  the  elbow, 
and  the  doctor  says  that  he  thinks  the  arm  will  have  to  come 
off." 

A  shout  of  satisfaction  rose  from  the  group,  and  Wilmington 
grasped  Frank's  hand  as  he  leapt  down. 

"  Thank  God  that  you  are  safe,  Wyatt,"  he  exclaimed. 
' '  I  should  never  have  forgiven  myself  if  anything  had  hap- 
pened to  you.  Of  course,  what  you  said  last  night  cheered 
me  a  good  deal,  but  I  could  hardly  help  thinking  afterwards 
that  you  had  made  the  best  of  it  for  that  purpose." 

"  No,  I  did  not,  Wilmington.  I  felt  absolutely  confident 
that  I  should  hit  him  on  the  hand.  Now,  I  want  some  break- 
fast ;  1  ordered  it  to  be  ready  before  I  started." 

"  Well,  you  are  a  cool  hand,  Wyatt,"  Lister  said.  "  If  we 
ever  get  into  a  hand-to-hand  affair  with  the  French,  I  hope 
you  will  take  me  under  your  protection." 

"  We  will  see  about  it,"  Frank  laughed.  "  Well,  come 
up  now.  I  ordered  the  breakfast  for  two,  and  I  see  Smith  is 
bringing  the  dishes  across  from  the  kitchen." 

"Oh,  I  say,  Wyatt,  you  must  let  the  rest  of  us  up  too. 
We  can't  wait  to  hear  all  about  it  until  you  have  done." 


166  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  Come  up,  by  all  means.  There  is  really  nothing  to  tell 
you." 

However,  as  the  breakfast  was  being  eaten,  Captain  Lister 
answered  all  questions. 

"  So  he  did  not  take  it  well,"  one  of  the  subalterns  said. 
"  That  is  just  what  you  would  expect  from  a  fellow  like  that." 

"  I  don't  think  we  should  be  too  hard  on  him  in  that  re- 
spect. It  is  very  trying  to  any  man's  temper  when  he  makes 
absolutely  sure  of  doing  a  thing  and  is  beaten  by  a  novice.  It 
was  surprise,  no  doubt,  as  well  as  pain — and  I  fancy  the  pain 
was  pretty  sharp — that  caused  him  to  lose  his  temper.  I  ex- 
pect that  if  he  had  been  fighting  with  an  old  hand  whom  he 
thought  dangerous,  he  would  have  borne  the  wound  in  a  very 
different  way.  Now,  look  here,  lads,  there  is  one  thing  that 
you  must  bear  in  mind.  Don't  treat  this  affair  as  if  it  were  a 
sort  of  triumph  for  the  corps.  I  have  no  doubt  that  all  the 
fellows  in  the  Lancers  will  be  every  bit  as  much  pleased  as  we  are, 
at  the  way  things  have  turned  out ;  but  we  must  not  assume 
that.  I  should  say  you  had  much  better  not  make  any  allusion 
to  the  affair,  unless  others  speak  to  you  about  it.  Of  course, 
it  will  make  a  great  deal  of  talk ;  there  is  no  getting  over  that. 
But  don't  let  it  be  a  subject  to  be  discussed  in  the  mess-room. 
Duels  between  officers  of  different  regiments  have,  before  now, 
led  to  a  lot  of  bad  feeling,  and  I  have  known  one  such  duel 
lead  to  half  a  dozen  others.  The  Lancers  are  in  no  way  to 
blame  for  Marshall's  conduct ;  but,  if  they  found  any  disposi- 
tion among  us  to  crow  over  it,  it  might  give  rise  to  ill-feeling, 
which  would  be  bad  enough  if  it  were  merely  two  regiments 
in  garrison  together,  but  would  be  a  terrible  nuisance  in  a 
depot  where  there  is  a  common  mess.  Therefore,  when  the 
matter  is  talked  over,  as  it  is  sure  to  be,  it  is  best  to  let  the 
talking  be  done  by  others,  and  to  keep  your  own  mouths 
closed.  Wyatt  is  the  last  fellow  in  the  world  to  wish  to  pose 
as  a  conquering  hero." 


A    DUEL  167 

"Thank  you,  Lister,"  Frank  said.  "I  am  sure  I  never 
wish  to  hear  the  thing  mentioned  again.  I  have  taken  a  lot 
of  pains  to  become  a  good  shot,  and  it  seems  that  I  have  a 
natural  aptitude  that  way.  There  is  nothing  more  to  feel 
boastful  about  than  if  nature  had  made  me  a  giant,  and  I  had 
thereby  been  able  to  thrash  a  man  of  ordinary  strength.  I  am 
very  glad  that  I  have  put  it  out  of  Marshall's  power  to  bully 
other  men,  and,  as  he  had  several  times  done,  to  force  them 
into  duels,  when  his  skill  gave  him  such  an  advantage  that  it 
was  nothing  short  of  murder.  I  think  that  I  shall  go  across 
to  the  major,  and  ask  him  to  give  me  a  fortnight's  leave.  I 
have  not  been  away  since  I  joined,  and  I  had  a  letter  yester- 
day saying  that  my  aunt  was  not  very  well ;  so  I  should  like 
to  run  down  to  Weymouth  to  see  her." 

"  It  would  be  a  very  good  plan,  Wyatt,  and  I  am  sure  the 
major  will  give  you  leave  at  once." 

When  he  had  finished  his  breakfast,  Frank  went  across  to 
the  major's  quarters. 

"  I  have  not  had  time  to  congratulate  you  yet,  Wyatt," 
the  major  said  warmly,  as  he  entered.  "  You  have  rendered 
a  service  to  the  army  in  general,  and  to  our  regiment  in  par- 
ticular;  for  it  would  have  been  a  nasty  thing  if  it  had  got 
about  that  one  of  us  had  been  grossly  insulted  without  taking 
the  matter  up.  If  you  had  not  interfered,  the  commandant 
told  me  that  he  should  have  reported  the  matter  at  headquar- 
ters. Had  Wilmington  taken  it  up,  he  would  have  refused  to 
let  the  matter  go  on,  until  he  iiad  received  an  answer  from  the 
Horse-guards  ;  and  he  would  have  done  the  same  in  your  case, 
if  you  had  not  used  such  strong  language.  Your  words  prac- 
tically forced  Marshall  into  challenging  you.  Still,  although 
we,  who  were  present,  should  all  have  approved  of  Wilming- 
ton's not  being  allowed  to  throw  away  his  life  by  going  out 
with  Marshall,  one  can't  deny  that  it  would  have  caused  un- 
pleasantness. Those  who  only  heard  that  one  of  our  fellows 


168  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

had  put  up  with  a  gross  insult  without  taking  any  steps,  and 
had,  so  to  speak,  sheltered  himself  under  the  authority  of  the 
commandant,  would  have  considered  it  an  ugly  business,  and 
we  should  have  found  it  very  unpleasant  when  we  joined  the 
army  in  Spain.  Therefore,  we  all  feel  very  much  indebted  to 
you  for  having  championed  the  honour  of  the  regiment.  You 
are  a  marvellous  shot,  lad,  and  you  will  have  one  satisfaction, 
which  is,  that  when  this  affair  is  talked  about,  and  it  is  known 
that  you  said  beforehand  that  you  intended  to  take  off  Mar- 
shall's trigger-finger,  and  that  you  did  it,  there  is  no  chance 
of  your  ever  being  forced  into  a  quarrel  as  long  as  you  remain 
in  the  army." 

"  Thank  you,  Major.  I  have  just  come  across  to  ask  you 
if  you  will  allow  me  a  fortnight's  leave  of  absence.  I  really 
want  to  pay  a  visit  to  my  aunt  at  Weymouth,  and  I  think  it 
will  be  a  very  good  plan  for  me  to  get  a-vay  from  here  until 
this  affair  has  blown  over  a  little." 

"  A  very  good  plan  indeed,  my  lad.  Certainly,  you  can 
have  your  leave.  1  will  draw  it  out  this  moment,  and  take 
it  over  to  the  commandant,  who  will,  I  am  sure,  countersign 
it  at  once.  Which  way  do  you  think  of  going  ?  " 

"  I  think  I  will  go  by  the  coach,  that  comes  along  here  at 
twelve  o'clock,  to  Dover ;  that  is,  if  I  see  in  the  paper  that 
there  is  any  hoy  sailing  for  the  west  this  evening  or  to-morrow. 
The  wind  is  in  the  east,  and,  with  luck,  I  should  get  down  there 
sooner  than  by  going  up  to  town  and  taking  the  coach." 

"  Here  is  the  list  of  sailings,"  the  major  said,  taking  up  a 
broad -sheet  from  a  side  table.  "  Yes,  the  hoy  Keepsake  will 
sail,  weather  permitting,  from  Dover  this  evening  for  Ply- 
mouth, touching  at  Southampton  and  Weymouth.  That 
would  just  suit  you.  You  had  better  not  have  more  than  a 
fortnight,  for  I  think  it  likely  we  may  get  orders  for  the  two 
troops  to  sail  before  long.  Be  sure  and  leave  your  address  at 
the  orderly-room." 


A    DUEL  169 

From  the  major's  Frank  went  straight  to  Strelinski's  lodg- 
ing, and  told  him  that  he  would  have  a  fortnight's  holiday. 

"  I  do  not  want  it, ' '  the  Pole  said  ;  ' '  but  I  am  glad  that 
you  should  have  one,  for  you  have  been  working  very  hard 
lately,  and  it  is  now  nearly  nine  months  since  you  came  down 
here." 

"  I  will  get  you  to  write  an  account  of  my  progress,  Stre- 
linski.  I  told  Sir  Robert  Wilson  that  he  should  have  one 
every  three  months,  and  the  third  is  nearly  due  now.  He  was 
very  pleased  at  your  last  report. ' ' 

"  This  will  be  even  better,  for  you  have  been  able  to  give 
a  good  deal  more  time  to  it,  since  you  have  not  had  so  many 
drills.  Besides,  progress  is  not  so  manifest  at  first,  until  one 
is  able  to  converse  a  little  ;  after  that  it  goes  on  rapidly." 

Strelinski  at  once  sat  down  and  wrote  the  report. 

Frank  read  it  with  some  interest,  for  Strelinski  was  not  in 
the  habit  of  saying  what  he  thought  of  his  progress. 

"I  think  you  have  made  this  too  strong,"  he  said,  as  he 
laid  it  down. 

"Not  at  all,"  the  Pole  replied.  "We  are  able  to  talk 
freely  now,  and  it  is  very  seldom  that  you  are  at  a  loss  for 
a  word.  I  can  say  conscientiously  that  you  are  now  able  to 
converse  rapidly  and  well  in  it.  I  could  not  say  that  your 
writing  leaves  nothing  to  be  desired.  Having  acquired  it  so 
much  by  ear  and  conversation,  you  are  not  perfect  in  your 
grammar  or  construction  when  you  write  it  ;  but  that  is  of 
little  consequence.  Sir  Robert  Wilson  will  naturally  write  in 
his  own  language,  and  is  not  likely  to  have  despatches  to 
send  in  Russian.  You  are  quite  fit  to  act  as  an  interpreter  to 
deliver  messages,  and  to  carry  on  any  ordinary  conversation. 
There  is  a  report  that  there  has  been  a  duel  this  morning,  and 
that  an  officer  was  carried  through  the  town  on  a  stretcher. ' ' 

' '  Yes.  The  wound  is  not  a  very  serious  one,  but  he  will 
probably  lose  his  forearm." 


170  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  And  it  was  you  who  hit  him,"  the  Pole  said  quietly. 

"  How  do  you  know  that,  Strelinski  ?  " 

"  I  guessed  it.  You  have  told  me  how  you  were  practising, 
and  how  well  you  were  getting  on.  I  guessed  you  had  some 
special  purpose  for  taking  so  much  pains,  and  you  did  not  come 
in  yesterday  evening  as  usual.  Then,  too,  you  tell  me  he  was 
hit  in  the  arm,  and  you  mentioned  the  other  day  that'you  were 
practising  at  that,  and  showed  me  the  iron  hand  you  had  had 
made  to  hold  a  pistol." 

"  Well,  yes,  it  was  I.  The  fellow  insulted  a  young  comrade 
in  my  regiment,  knowing  well  that  he  could  not  shoot ;  so  I 
took  it  up,  and  there  was  an  end  of  it." 

"  I  am  glad  I  knew  no  thing  about  it  until  it  was  all  over.  I 
should  have  been  very  unhappy  if  I  had  known  that  you  were 
going  to  risk  your  life." 

"  I  do  not  think  there  was  any  risk  in  it.  As  I  told  you,  I 
have  practised  shooting  very  quickly,  and  felt  sure  that  I  should 
get  first  shot,  and  knew  that  there  was  no  chance  of  my  miss- 
ing. The  man  was  a  dangerous  fellow,  and  has  fought  many 
duels,  but  he  will  not  now  fight  any  more ;  and  he  will,  I 
should  think,  leave  the  service.  Well,  I  must  not  stay  any 
longer,  for  I  go  by  the  twelve  o'clock  coach,  and  have  to  write 
a  letter  to  Sir  Robert  Wilson  before  I  start. ' ' 

Frank  caught  the  coach  without  difficulty,  and  on  arriving 
at  Dover  went  down  and  took  his  berth  on  board  the  hoy. 

"  We  shall  start  at  eight  sharp,"  the  skipper  said. 

"  I  will  be  on  board  in  good  time.  I  think  you- are  likely 
to  have  a  quick  passage." 

"Yes,  if  the  wind  holds  we  shall  be  at  Southampton  to- 
morrow evening.  I  shall  get  out  the  cargo  by  torchlight,  for 
with  this  wind  I  don't  want  to  lose  an  hour.  I  don't  know 
how  much  there  will  be  to  take  in,  but  I  reckon  anyhow  that 
we  shall  be  off  by  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  if  we  have 
luck  shall  be  at  Weymouth  before  dark." 


A    DUEL  171 

Frank  went  on  shore  to  the  hotel  and  dined,  and  spent  the 
time  until  the  hour  fixed,  for  sailing  in  going  over  the  fortifica- 
tions. The  voyage  was  a  quick  and  pleasant  one,  and  although 
.the  accommodation  was  rough  it  was  vastly  superior  to  that 
which  he  had  been  accustomed  to  when  going  out  in  the  fish- 
ing boats.  The  skipper's  calculations  as  to  time  were  verified, 
and  they  entered  the  river  at  Weymouth  forty-eight  hours  after 
leaving  Dover.  Mrs.  Trout  beck  was  delighted  to  see  Frank. 
He  had  indeed  written  a  fortnight  before,  saying  he  hoped  to 
•  be  able  before  long  to  get  a  few  days'  leave  and  should  come 
down  to  see  her,  and  she  was  therefore  not  greatly  surprised  at 
his  arri-val. 

"You  have  grown  a  good  deal,  my'  dear  boy,"  she  said 
after  they  had  chatted  together  for  some. time,  "but  you  are 
not  changed  so  much  as  I  expected." 

"  Well,  Aunt,  I  don't  see  how  I  can  change  much  till  the 
hair  begins  to  grow  on  my  face.  Putting  on  uniform  doesn't 
in  itself  make  one  a  man ;  but  of  course  I  feel  older,  and 
I  think  I  have  grown  a  bit.  But  there  is  no  chance  of  my 
ever  shooting  up  like  Julian.  Of  course,  you  have  heard 
nothing  from  him,  Aunt,  or  you  would  have  written  to  me  at 
once  !  ' ' 

"  Nothing,  Frank.  That  fisherman,  Bill,  came  in  the  other 
day,  and  said  he  had  only  heard  what  we  knew  before,  that  he 
had  been  sent  to  gaol,  and  that  he  had  been  marched  away 
with  a  batch  of  prisoners  somewhere  inland.  The  smugglers 
could  not  learn  what  prison  they  had  gone  to.  They  said  that 
the  people  of  Nantes  did  not  know  that,  as  the  guards  who 
went  with  them  from  there  only  received  orders  to  take  them  a 
short  distance,  and  they  were  then  handed  over  to  other 
soldiers,  who  went  so  much  further  with  them,  and  as  their 
escort  might  be  changed  a  dozen  times  not  even  the  officials 
at  Nantes  had  an  idea  where  they  were  taken  to  at  last." 

"  No  news  of  Markham,  Aunt?  " 


172  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  Only  that  he  is  one  of  the  regular  crew  of  that  French 
lugger  now." 

Frank  looked  up  all  his  old  friends  and  spent  a  pleasant 
week.  His  visit  did  his  aunt  a  great  deal  of  good,  and  the 
servant  told  him  that  she  was  quite  a  different  woman  since  he 
had  come  home  again. 

"She  missed  you  wonderful,  Master  Frank,  and  though 
she  used  to  go  about  as  usual,  she  did  not  seem  to  take  an 
interest  in  things  as  she  did  before.  I  expect,  now  that  she 
has  seen  you  again,  and  has  perked  up  a  bit,  she  will  fall  into 
her  old  ways  more  regular.  Now  she  has  heard  from  you  all 
about  what  you  are  doing,  and  your  friends,  and  such  like, 
and  she  knows  that  you  are  well  and  not  changed,  she  will  feel 
more  comfortable,  and  won't  be  always  worriting  herself. 
Mr.  Henderson  often  comes  in  and  talks  about  you,  and  that 
always  seems  to  do  her  good.  And  Colonel  Chambers,  he 
looks  in  sometimes,  and  she  tells  me  that  they  both  think  a 
great  deal  of  you,  and  of  course  that  pleases  her ;  and  she 
looks  forward  wonderful  to  your  letters  coming  regular  once  a 
week.  I  don't  think  you  need  trouble  yourself  about  her, 
Master  Frank.  She  has  not  really  much  the  matter  with  her ; 
only  you  know  it  was  always  her  way  to  worrit  about  things, 
and  you  can't  expect  her  to  be  otherwise,  and  I  do  think  your 
coming  here  will  do  her  a  lot  of  good." 

Two  mornings  later  one  of  the  coast-guard  came  in. 
"  Captain  Downes  will  be  glad,  sir,  if  you  will  go  on  board  ; 
there  is  something  particular  that  he  wants  to  speak  to  you 
about." 

Frank  at  once  put  on  his  hat. 

"  We  had  a  sharp  fight  with  the  smugglers  last  night,  your 
honour,"  the  sailor  said  as  they  started.  "  We  had  been 
cruising  about  for  two  days  to  the  west,  and  yesterday  morning 
we  made  out  to  sea  and  held  east,  and  at  ten  o'clock  came  into 
Swanage  Bay.  We  came  upon  the  lugger  that  has  fooled  us 


A    DUEL  173 

so  many  times,  and  for  once  we  caught  her  napping.  They 
were  at  work  unloading  a  cargo  when  we  came  up,  and  she 
did  not  make  us  out  until  we  were  within  a  couple  of  cables' - 
length  of  her,  then  she  slipped  and  ran ;  I  expect  she  would 
have  shown  us  her  heels  as  usual,  but  we  gave  her  a  broadside, 
and  that  big  spar  of  hers  came  down  with  a  run,  and  we  were 
alongside  in  no  time.  They  made  a  tough  fight  of  it,  but 
pretty  nigh  half  her  crew  were  ashore  with  the  kegs.  How- 
somever  we  were  not  long  in  beating  them  below,  though  two 
or  three  of  our  chaps  were  pretty  badly  hurt,  and  three  of 
theirs  killed  before  the  scrimmage  was  over.  We  did  not 
trouble  about  the  chaps  ashore.  I  expect  they  were  accounted 
for  all  right,  for  we  heard  some  pistol  shots  there,  but  we  came 
back  here  at  once  with  the  lugger,  and  got  in  two  hours  ago." 

"  Are  the  prisoners  all  French?  "  Frank  asked  eagerly. 

"  Ay,  sir,  just  as  French  as  can  be.  I  was  one  of  the  party 
as  took  them  ashore  and  lodged  them  in  jail ;  and  there  was 
no  doubt  about  their  all  being  French.  They  had  all  got 
rings  in  their  ears  ;  besides,  you  could  tell  from  the  cut  of  their 
jib  that  they  were  Frenchies. " 

In  ten  minutes  Frank  stepped  on  to  the  deck  of  the  Boxer. 
Captain  Downes  met  him  there.  "  I  congratulate  you,  Mr. 
Wyatt,"  he  said  warmly.  "  I  suppose  you  have  been  hearing 
that  we  had  a  sharp  tussle  with  the  smugglers,  and  at  last 
captured  that  confounded  lugger  that  has  given  us  so  much 
trouble  for  the  past  two  years.  Though  I  am  mightily  pleased 
at  that,  I  am  more  pleased  still  that  among  those  on  board  was 
that  fellow  Markham.  He  fought  like  a  tiger.  I  reckon  he 
knew  that  his  neck  was  in  a  noose,  for  he  would,  of  course, 
have  heard  from  his  friends  here  that  the  matter  of  Faulkner's 
murder  had  been  cleared  up,  and  there  was  a  warrant  out 
against  him.  Well,  he  got  a  pistol  shot  in  his  chest,  and  after 
it  was  all  over  we  found  that  he  was  pretty  near  gone.  As 
soon  as  a  lantern  was  put  to  his  face  two  or  three  of  the  men  knew 


174  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

him  at  once,  and  I  went  up  to  him.  He  was  pretty  well  past 
speaking,  but  as  I  stooped  over  him  he  said,  '  You  have  got 
me  this  time,  Captain  Downes,  and  no  mistake.  Well,  it  don't 
make  much  matter ;  I  was  getting  sick  of  the  life.  You  look 
in  the  pocket  of  my  jacket  when  I  am  gone,  and  you  will  find 
a  letter  there.  I  swore  to  young  Wyatt  that  I  would  clear  him 
of  that  charge  of  shooting  Faulkner.  I  shot  him  myself,  and 
I  have  put  it  all  down  there. ' 

' '  He  died  a  quarter  of  an  hour  later,  and  here  is  the  letter. 
I  am  going  to  take  it  over  to  Colonel  Chambers,  but  I  thought 
you  would  like  to  go  with  me.  Of  course,  your  brother  was 
really  cleared  of  all  suspicion,  but  it  is  just  as  well  to  have  got 
it  under  the  real  man's  own  hand." 

"lam  delighted,  Captain  Downes.  When  I  was  told,  as 
I  came  along,  of  the  lugger  being  captured,  I  hoped  that  you 
might  possibly  have  something  like  this  to  tell  me,  for  I  had 
heard,  since  I  came  here,  that  he  was  still  on  board  her,  and  as 
it  was  not  likely  he  would  risk  going  ashore,  I  thought  per- 
haps you  had  got  him  prisoner.  But  this  is  better  altogether, 
for  if  he  had  been  put  on  trial  for  Faulkner's  murder,  he  would, 
no  doubt,  have  accused  Julian,  and  though  I  think  the  evi- 
dence was  strong  enough  to  fix  the  guilt  on  the  man,  there 
might  have  been  some  who  would  have  believed  what  he  said. 
Now  it  will  be  altogether  cleared  up.  Though  when  Julian 
will  be  found  and  brought  home  is  more  than  anyone  can 
say." 

"  Well,  we  need  not  trouble  about  that,  lad,  just  at  present. 
He  is  cleared,  which  is  the  principal  thing,  and  sooner  or  later 
he  is  sure  to  find  his  way  back  again." 

Frank  landed  with  Captain  Downes.  Taking  a  trap  they 
drove  to  the  magistrate's,  where  fortunately  they  found  Mr. 
Henderson,  who  had  gone  up  to  arrange  for  the  examination 
of  the  prisoners.  Both  were  greatly  pleased  when,  on  the  let- 
ter being  opened,  it  was  found  to  contain  a  full  confession  of 


A    DUEL  175 

the  murder,  attested  by  a  French  magistrate,  and  corroborat- 
ing in  every  respect  the  facts  contained  in  Julian's  letter,  and 
as  proved  by  the  evidence  given  at  the  coroner's  inquest.  "  I 
will  give  this  letter  to  the  Weymouth  paper  to  insert,"  Colonel 
Chambers  said,  "  and  will  send  copies  to  the  London  papers, 
with  a  few  lines  recalling  the  facts  of  the  murder  and  the 
proofs  that  had  accumulated  of  Markham's  share  in  it,  and 
which  show  beyond  all  doubt  the  bona-fides  of  the  confession." 

"  Thank  you  very  much,  Colonel,"  Frank  said.  "  I  only 
wish  I  knew  where  to  send  a  copy  to  Julian." 

"  I  am  sure  I  wish  that  you  could  do  so,"  the  colonel  said. 
"Poor  fellow!  he  has  paid  dearly  indeed  for  his  well-meant 
though  rash  attempt  to  seize  Faulkner's  murderer.  I  shall 
have  finished  my  business  in  two  or  three  minutes,  and  shall 
be  glad  if  you  will  stop  to  have  a  chat  with  me." 

As  soon  as  the  magistrate  had  concluded  his  talk  with  Mr. 
Henderson,  and  the  latter  had  gone  off  to  carry  out  the  ar- 
rangements, Colonel  Chambers  turned  to  the  captain  and  said, 
"  Have  you  seen  any  of  the  London  papers,  Downes?  " 

"  No,  Colonel.  I  have  had  enough  to  think  of  this  morn- 
ing since  we  moored  up.  Is  there  anything  of  importance  in 
them?" 

"'  Nothing  perhaps  extraordinarily  important,  but  something 
certainly  interesting  at  the  present  moment.  Here  is  the 
Morning  Herald.  This  is  the  item  :  'Our  correspondent  at 
Canterbury  states  that  much  excitement  has  been  lately  caused 
in  military  circles  there  by  an  affair  of  honour — '  '  "Oh, 
that  is  too  bad  !  "  Frank  broke  in  hotly — "  '  between  an  offi- 
cer of  the  Lancers,  Captain  M — 1,  and  a  cornet  of  the  i5th 
Light  Dragoons,  Mr.  W — t.  It  is  said  that  Captain  M — 1  has 
been  engaged  in  several  similar  encounters,  and  is  famous  for 
his  skill  with  the  pistol.  The  affair  began,  we  understand,  at 
a  mess-dinner  of  the  cavalry  depot  a  few  days  since,  at  which 
several  well-known  gentlemen  of  the  town  were  present.  Cap- 


176  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

tain  M — 1  used  insulting  language  to  a  recently-joined  young 
officer  of  the  Dragoons.  Mr.  W — t  took  the  matter  up  hotly, 
and  rising,  denounced  Captain  M — 1  in  such  strong  language 
that  a  duel  became  inevitable.  In  view  of  the  youth  and  sup- 
posed inexperience  of  Mr.  W — t,  the  affair  was  regarded  with 
extreme  disapprobation  by  the  officers  of  Captain  M — 1's  regi- 
ment, as  well  as  by  those  of  the  Dragoons.  It  seems,  however, 
that  Mr.  W — t  had  for  some  time  been  practising  with  the 
pistol  under  the  tuition  of  our  respected  townsman,  Mr. 
Woodall  the  gunsmith,  and  before  the  parties  met  he  confided 
to  the  officer  who  acted  as  his  second  that  he  intended  to  aim 
at  his  opponent's  trigger-finger  and  so  to  incapacitate  him 
from  further  adventures  of  the  kind.  Extraordinary  as  it  may 
appear,  this  intention  was  carried  out.  Captain  M — 1  not 
only  lost  his  finger,  but  the  bullet  passed  up  his  arm  and  broke 
it  above  the  elbow.  We  understand  that  the  limb  has  been 
successfully  amputated  by  the  surgeons  of  the  two  corps.  This 
singular  feat  on  the  part  of  the  young  officer,  when  opposed  to 
so  skilled  a  duellist  as  Captain  M — 1,  has  created  a  profound 
sensation  throughout  the  garrison.' 

"  Well,  Master  W — t,  what  have  you  to  say  to  that?  " 
"  I  don't  know  that  I  have  anything  to  say  to  it,  Colonel," 
Frank  replied,  "except  that  it  is  a  great  nuisance  that  such  a 
thing  should  be  talked  about.  I  suppose  I  have  a  good  eye 
and  a  steady  hand.  I  have  practised  steadily  every  day  since 
I  joined,  and  have  got  to  shoot  pretty  straight.  The  man 
was  a  notorious  bully,  and  if  the  young  fellow  he  had  insulted 
had  gone  out  with  him,  it  would  have  been  nothing  short  of 
murder  ;  and  yet  if  he  had  not  gone  out  with  him  I  believe 
he  would  have  shot  himself,  rather  than  suffer  the  disgrace  of 
putting  up  with  an  insult.  So  as  I  felt  pretty  certain  that  I 
could  disable  Marshall  without  having  to  do  him  any  serious 
injury,  I  took  it  up  and  hit  him  in  the  hand  as  I  intended  to." 
"Well,  Downes,"  Colonel  Chambers  said,  "it  seems  to 


SMOLENSK  177 

me  that  these  two  brothers  are  born  to  get  into  adventures 
and  to  get  well  out  of  them.  However,  Frank,  although  you 
have  acted  very  creditably,  and  must  certainly  be  a  wonderful 
shot  with  a  pistol,  don't  do  this  sort  of  thing  too  often." 

"  I  am  not  going  to,  sir.  I  hope  that  I  shall  never  fight  a 
duel  again,  and  I  didn't  practise  for  that,  but  to  be  able  to 
use  my  pistols  on  service." 

Three  days  later  Frank  said  good-bye  to  his  aunt  and 
friends,  and  returned  to  Canterbury,  travelling  this  time  by 
coach,  as  no  craft  happened  to  be  sailing  for  Dover. 


CHAPTER  X 

SMOLENSK 

JULIAN'S  regiment  arrived  at  Konigsberg  early  in  March, 
J  and  found  that  it  was  to  form  part  of  Ney's  division. 
The  whole  country  round  had  been  turned  into  an  enormous 
camp,  and  every  town  was  the  centre  round  which  a  great 
array  of  tents  was  clustered.  The  troops  were  of  many 
nationalities — French,  Poles,  Bavarians,  Saxons,  Prussians, 
Austrians,  and  even  Spanish.  Never  since  the  hordes  of 
Attila  swept  over  Europe  had  so  vast  an  army  been  gathered. 
The  total  force  collected  for  the  invasion  of  Russia  amounted 
to  651,358  men,  of  whom  some  520,000  were  infantry, 
100,000  cavalry,  and  the  remainder  artillery  and  engineers. 
They  had  with  them  1372  guns. 

April  passed  without  any  movement.  The  troops  became 
impatient,  and  even  the  veterans,  whose  confidence  in  Na- 
poleon was  implicit,  shook  their  heads. 

"We  ought  to  be  across  the  frontier  before  this,"  an  old 
sergeant  of  Julian's  company  said  to  him,  as  they  smoked  a 
pipe  together  over  two  mugs  of  German  beer. 


178  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  It  isn't  that  I  think  there  will  be  much  fighting,  for  what 
can  Russia  do  against  such  an  army  as  this?  They  say  Alex- 
ander has  been  busy  since  the  peace  of  Tilsit,  but  at  that  time 
he  could  scarce  place  50,000  men  in  the  field.  No  one  fears 
the  Russians ;  but  it  is  a  big  country,  and  they  say  that  in 
winter  the  cold  is  horrible.  We  shall  have  long  distances  to 
march,  and  you  know  how  much  time  is  always  wasted  over 
making  a  treaty  of  peace.  If  we  are  to  be  back  again  before 
winter  we  ought  to  be  off  now.  Of  course,  the  Emperor  may 
mean  to  hold  St.  Petersburg  and  Moscow  until  next  spring, 
and  I  daresay  we  could  make  ourselves  comfortable  enough  in 
either  place;  but  when  you  come  to  winter  six  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  men,  and  a  couple  of  hundred  thousand  horses, 
it  is  a  tremendous  job  ;  and  I  should  think  the  Emperor  would 
send  all  this  riff-raff  of  Spaniards,  Germans,  and  Poles  back, 
and  keep  only  the  French  as  a  garrison  through  the  winter. 
Still,  I  wo  ild  much  rather  that  we  should  all  be  back  here 
before  the  first  snow  falls.  I  don't  like  these  long  campaigns. 
Men  are  ready  to  fight,  and  to  fight  again,  twenty  times  if  need 
be,  lr.it  then  they  like  to  be  done  with  it.  In  a  long  cam- 
paign, with  marches,  and  halts,  and  delays,  discipline  gets 
slack,  men  begin  to  grumble ;  besides,  clothes  wear  out,  and 
however  big  stores  you  take  with  you,  they  are  sure  to  run 
short  in  time.  I  wish  we  were  off." 

But  it  was  not  until  the  i6th  of  May  that  Napoleon  arrived 
at  Dresden,  where  he  was  met  by  the  Emperor  and  Empress 
of  Austria,  the  Kings  of  Prussia  and  Saxony,  and  a  host  of 
archdukes  and  princes,  and  a  fortnight  was  spent  in  brilliant 
fetes.  Napoleon  himself  was  by  no  means  blind  to  the  mag- 
nitude of  the  enterprise  on  which  he  had  embarked,  and  enter- 
tained no  hopes  that  the  army  would  recross  the  frontier  before 
the  winter.  He  had,  indeed,  before  leaving  Paris,  predicted 
that  three  campaigns  would  be  necessary  before  lasting  terms 
of  peace  could  be  secured.  Thus  an  early  commencement  of 


SMOLENSK  179 

the  campaign  was  of  comparatively  slight  importance;  but, 
indeed,  the  preparations  for  the  struggle  were  all  on  so  great 
a  scale  that  they  could  not,  with  all  the  energy  displayed  in 
pushing  them  forward,  be  completed  before  the  end  of  June. 

Thus,  then,  while  Napoleon  delayed  in  Paris  and  feasted  at 
Dresden,  the  roads  of  Germany  were  occupied  by  great  hosts 
of  men  and  enormous  trains  of  baggage  waggons  of  all  descrip- 
tions, moving  steadily  towards  the  Russian  frontier.  On  the 
1 2th  of  June  Napoleon  arrived  at  Konigsberg.  Ney's  division 
had  marched  forward  a  fortnight  before,  and  the  Emperor  on 
his  route  from  Konigsberg  to  the  frontier  reviewed  that  division 
with  those  of  Davoust  and  Oudinot,  and  also  two  great  cavalry 
divisions. 

To  oppose  the  threatening  storm  Alexander  had  gathered 
three  armies.  The  first,  stationed  in  and  round  Wilna  under 
General  Barclay  de  Tolly,  comprised  129,050  men;  the  sec- 
ond, posted  at  Wolkowich,  and  commanded  by  Prince  Bagra- 
tion,  numbered  48,000 ;  the  third  had  its  headquarters  at 
Lutsk,  and  was  commanded  by  Count  Tormanssow ;  while 
the  reserve,  which  was  widely  scattered,  contained  34,000 
men.  Thus  the  total  force  gathered  to  oppose  the  advance  of 
Napoleon's  army  of  650,000  was  but  211,050.  It  had,  too, 
the  disadvantage  of  being  scattered,  for  it  was  impossible  to 
foresee  by  which  of  the  several  roads  open  to  him,  Napoleon 
would  advance,  or  whether  he  intended  to  make  for  St.  Peters- 
burg or  Moscow. 

Daring  the  next  few  days  the  divisions  intended  to  form 
the  advance  moved  down  towards  the  Niemen,  which  marked 
the  frontier,  and  on  the  24th  of  June  three  bridges  were 
thrown  across  the  river  near  Kovno,  and  the  passage  began. 
The  French  cavalry  drove  off  the  Cossacks  who  were  watching 
the  passage,  and  the  same  evening  the  Emperor  established  his 
headquarters  at  Kovno,  and  the  corps  of  Davoust,  Oudinot, 
and  Ney  crossed  the  bridges,  and  with  the  cavalry  under  Mu- 


180  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

rat,  composing  altogether  a  force  of  350,000  men,  marched 
forward  at  a  rapid  pace  on  the  26th  for  Wilna,  seventy-five 
miles  distant.  It  was  not  until  a  few  days  before  Napoleon 
crossed  the  frontier  that  the  Russians  obtained  any  definite 
information  as  to  the  force  with  which  he  was  advancing,  and 
their  commander-in-chief  at  once  saw  that  it  would  be  hope- 
less to  attempt  to  oppose  so  large  a  body.  A  great  mistake 
had  been  committed  in  occupying  a  position  so  near  the  fron- 
tier, but  when  the  necessity  for  retreat  became  evident,  no 
time  was  lost  in  carrying  it  into  effect,  and  orders  were  de- 
spatched to  the  commanders  of  the  various  armies  to  fall  back 
with  all  speed.  Thus,  although  the  French  accomplished  the 
wonderful  feat  of  marching  seventy -eight  miles  in  two  days, 
which  was  done  in  the  hope  of  falling  upon  the  Russians  be- 
fore they  had  time  to  concentrate,  they  found  the  town 
already  evacuated,  and  the  whole  of  the  immense  magazines 
collected  there  destroyed. 

Almost  simultaneously  with  the  passage  of  the  Niemen  by 
the  three  corps  under  the  French  marshals,  those  of  Prince 
Eugene  and  the  other  generals  also  crossed,  but  further  south, 
and  also  advanced  at  full  speed  in  hopes  of  interposing  be- 
tween the  three  Russian  armies,  and  of  preventing  their  con- 
centration. For  the  next  week  the  French  pressed  hard  upon 
the  rear  of  the  retreating  Russians,  but  failed  to  bring  on  a 
battle,  while  they  themselves  suffered  from  an  incessant  down- 
pour of  rain  which  made  the  roads  well-nigh  impassable.  The 
commissariat  train  broke  down,  and  a  hundred  pieces  of  cannon 
and  5000  ammunition  waggons  had  to  be  abandoned.  The 
rain,  and  a  bitterly  cold  wind  that  accompanied  it,  brought 
on  an  epidemic  among  the  horses,  which  were  forced  to  de- 
pend solely  upon  the  green  rye  growing  in  the  fields.  Several 
thousands  died  ;  the  troops  themselves  suffered  so  much  from 
thirst  and  hunger  that  no  less  than  30,000  stragglers  fell  out 
from  the  ranks  and  spread  themselves  over  the  country,  burn- 


Onie 


CO 
CO 

D 

cn 


SMOLENSK  181 

ing,  ravaging,  plundering,  and  committing  terrible  depreda- 
tions. Such  dismay  was  caused  by  their  treatment  that  the 
villages  were  all  abandoned,  and  the  whole  population  retired 
before  the  advance  of  the  French,  driving  their  flocks  and 
herds  before  them,  and  thus  adding  greatly  to  the  difficulties  of 
the  invaders. 

The  greater  portion  of  these  straggling  marauders  belonged 
not  to  the  French  corps,  but  to  the  allies,  who  possessed  none 
of  the  discipline  of  the  French  soldiery,  and  whose  conduct 
throughout  the  campaign  was  largely  responsible  for  the 
intense  animosity  excited  by  the  invaders,  and  for  the  suffer- 
ing that  afterwards  befell  them. 

As  the  pursuit  continued  even  Napoleon's  best  soldiers  were 
surprised  at  their  failure  to  overtake  the  Russians.  However 
long  their  marches,  however  well  planned  the  operations,  the 
Russians  always  out-marched  and  out-manoeuvred  them.  It 
seemed  to  them  almost  that  they  were  pursuing  a  phantom 
army,  a  will-o'-the-wisp,  that  eluded  all  their  efforts  to  grasp 
it,  and  a  fierce  fight  between  the  rear-guard  of  Barclay  de 
Tolly's  army  and  the  advance-guard  of  Murat's  cavalry,  in 
which  the  latter  suffered  severely,  was  the  only  fight  of  impor- 
tance, until  the  invaders,  after  marching  more  than  half-way 
to  Moscow,  arrived  at  Witebsk. 

Nevertheless  they  had  suffered  severely.  The  savage  feroc- 
ity with  which,  in  spite  of  repeated  proclamations  and  orders, 
the  invading  army  treated  the  people,  had  exasperated  the 
peasantry  almost  to  madness,  and  taking  up  arms,  they  cut 
down  every  straggler,  annihilated  small  parties,  attacked  bag- 
gage trains,  and  repeated  in  Russia  the  terrible  retaliation 
dealt  by  the  Spanish  guerillas  upon  their  invaders. 

On  the  right  of  the  French  advance  there  had  been  heavier 
fighting.  There  General  Schwarzenberg  with  his  30,000 
Austrians  had  advanced  against  the  third  Russian  army, 
under  Tormanssow.  A  brigade  of  the  division  under  Re- 


182  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

gnier,  which  was  by  Napoleon's  order  inarching  to  join 
Schwarzenberg,  entered  Kobrin,  where  it  was  surrounded  by 
Tormanssow,  and  after  a  brave  resistance  of  nine  hours,  in 
which  it  lost  2000  killed  and  wounded,  the  remainder,  2300 
in  number,  were  forced  to  surrender.  Tormanssow  then  took 
up  a  strong  position  with  his  18,000  men,  and  awaited  the 
attack  of  the  united  forces  of  Schwarzenberg  and  Regnier, 
38,000  strong. 

The  battle  lasted  all  day,  the  loss  on  either  side  being  be- 
tween four  and  five  thousand.  Tormanssow  held  his  position, 
but  retired  under  cover  of  night.  On  the  jrd  of  August  the 
armies  of  Barclay  and  Bagration  at  last  succeeded  in  effecting 
a  junction  at  Smolensk,  and  towards  that  town  the  French 
corps  moved  from  various  quarters,  until  250,000  men  were 
assembled  near  it,  and  on  the  i5th  of  August,  Murat  and  Ney 
arrived  within  nine  miles  of  the  place. 

Smolensk,  a  town  of  considerable  size,  on  the  Dnieper, 
distant  280  miles  from  Moscow,  was  surrounded  by  a  brick 
wall  thirty  feet  high  and  eighteen  feet  thick  at  the  base,  with 
loopholed  battlements.  This  wall  formed  a  semicircle  of 
about  three  miles  and  a  half,  the  ends  resting  on  the  river. 
It  was  strengthened  by  thirty  towers,  and  at  its  forts  was  a 
deep  dry  ditch.  The  town  was  largely  built  of  wood.  There 
were  no  heavy  guns  upon  the  walls,  and  the  city,  which  was 
completely  commanded  by  surrounding  hills,  was  in  no 
way  defensible,  but  Barclay  de  Tolly  felt  himself  obliged  to 
fight. 

The  greatest  indignation  prevailed  in  Russia  at  the  retreat 
of  the  armies  without  attempting  one  determined  stand,  the 
abandonment  of  so  large  a  tract  of  country  to  the  French,  and 
the  suffering  and  ruin  thereby  wrought  among  the  population 
of  one  of  the  richest  and  most  thickly-peopled  districts  of 
Russia.  Barclay's  own  plan  had  been  to  draw  the  enemy 
farther  and  farther  into  the  country,  knowing  that  with  every 


SMOLENSK  183 

mile  of  advance  their  difficulties  would  increase  and  their 
armies  become  weakened  by  fatigue,  sickness,  and  the  assaults 
of  the  peasantry.  But  the  continued  retreats  were  telling 
upon  the  spirit  of  his  own  troops  also.  To  them  the  war 
was  a  holy  one.  They  had  marched  to  the  frontier  burn- 
ing to  meet  the  invader,  and  that,  from  the  moment  of  his 
crossing  the  Niemen,  they  should  have  to  retreat,  hunted 
and  harassed  like  beaten  men,  goaded  them  to  fury.  The 
officers  were  no  less  indignant  than  the  men,  and  Barclay 
found  that  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  make  a  stand. 

The  French  were  as  eager  as  the  Russians  to  fight,  and 
when  it  became  known  that  the  enemy  seemed  determined  to 
make  a  stand  at  Smolensk  they  were  filled  with  exultation. 
Ney's  corps  was  the  first  to  appear  before  the  town,  and  took 
up  its  position  on  rising  ground  a  short  distance  from  the 
suburbs  lying  outside  the  wall  and  next  to  the  river. 
Davoust's  corps  was  to  his  right,  Poniatowski's  division  came 
next,  while  Murat  with  his  cavalry  division  completed  the 
semicircle. 

"The  Russians  must  be  mad,"  was  the  comment  of  the 
veterans  of  Julian's  regiment.  "  The  place  is  of  no  strength ; 
the  artillery  will  breach  the  walls  in  no  time.  They  have  but 
one  bridge  by  which  to  retreat  across  the  river,  and  we  shall 
soon  knock  that  to  pieces  with  our  guns  on  the  right,  and  shall 
catch  all  who  are  in  the  town  in  a  trap." 

The  obstinate  resistance,  however,  that  had  been  given  by 
the  Russians  to  the  attacks  on  their  rear-guard  had  impressed 
the  invaders  with  a  respect  for  their  foes,  that  was  in  strong 
contrast  to  the  feeling  entertained  when  they  crossed  the 
frontier,  save  only  among  the  soldiers  who  had  met  the 
Russians  before,  and  who  knew  with  what  dogged  valour  they 
always  fought,  especially  when  on  the  defensive. 

"  It  is  going  to  be  tough  work,  Jules,  I  can  tell  you,"  one 
of  them  said  to  Julian,  whose  English  birth  was  now  almost 


184  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

forgotten,  and  who,  by  the  good  temper  he  always  manifested, 
however  long  the  marches  and  however  great  the  fatigues,  had 
become  a  general  favourite.  "  I  guess  we  are  only  going  to 
fight  because  the  Russians  are  tired  of  retreating,  just  as  we 
are  tired  of  pursuing  them.  They  can  gain  nothing  by  fight- 
ing here.  We  outnumber  them  tremendously.  The  great  bulk 
of  their  army  lies  on  the  heights  on  the  other  side  of  the  river, 
and  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  their  retreating  to  some  strong 
position,  where  they  might  give  battle  with  advantage.  On  the 
other  hand,  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  fight  here.  We 
have  come  down  thirty  or  forty  miles  out  of  the  direct  road  to 
Moscow,  and  if,  instead  of  doing  so,  we  had  crossed  the  river, 
and  had  gone  straight  on,  the  Russians  must  have  evacuated 
the  town  and  pushed  on  with  all  speed  in  order  to  get  between 
us  and  Moscow.  But  this  marching  about  without  getting  a 
battle  discourages  men  more  even  than  defeat,  and  I  hope  that 
it  will  do  something  to  restore  discipline  among  the  Germans 
and  Austrians,  ay,  and  among  our  own  troops  too.  I  have 
been  through  a  number  of  campaigns,  and  I  have  never  seen 
such  disorder,  such  plunder,  such  want  of  discipline  as  has 
been  shown  since  we  entered  Russia.  I  tell  you,  Jules,  even 
a  defeat  would  do  us  good.  Look  at  the  Russians;  they 
never  leave  a  straggler  behind  them,  never  a  dismounted  gun, 
while  the  roads  behind  us  are  choked  up  with  our  abandoned 
guns  and  waggons,  and  the  whole  country  is  covered  with  our 
marauders.  I  should  be  glad  if  one  of  the  brigades  was 
ordered  to  break  up  into  companies  and  to  march  back,  spread- 
ing out  across  the  whole  country  we  have  traversed,  and  shoot- 
ing every  man  they  met  between  this  and  the  frontier,  whether 
he  was  French,  German,  Austrian,  or  Pole." 

"It  has  been  terrible,"  Julian  agreed,  "but  at  least  we 
have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  Ney's  corps  d'armee  has 
furnished  a  smaller  share  of  stragglers  than  most  of  the  others." 

"  That  is  true  enough,  but  bad  is  the  best,  lad.     Some  of 


SMOLENSK  185 

our  battalions  are  nearly  all  young  soldiers,  and  I  can't  say 
much  for  their  conduct,  while  the  seven  battalions  of  Span- 
iards, Wurtemburgers,  and  men  from  the  Duchy  of  Baden 
have  behaved  shamefully,  and  I  don't  think  that  the  four 
squadrons  of  Polish  cavalry  have  been  any  better.  We  have 
all  been  bad  ;  there  is  no  denying  it ;  and  never  should  we 
have  conquered  Germany,  crushed  Prussia,  and  forced  Aus- 
tria to  submit,  had  our  armies  behaved  in  the  way  they  have 
done  of  late.  Napoleon  would  soon  have  put  a  stop  to  it 
then.  He  would  have  had  one  or  two  of  the  worst 
regiments  drawn  up,  and  would  have  decimated  them  as 
a  lesson  to  the  rest.  Now  his  orders  seem  to  go  for  nothing. 
He  has  far  too  much  on  his  mind  to  attend  to  such  things, 
and  the  generals  have  been  thinking  so  much  of  pressing  on 
after  the  enemy  that  they  have  done  nothing  to  see  the  orders 
carried  into  effect.  It  was  the  same  sort  of  thing  that  drove 
the  Spaniards  into  taking  to  the  mountains,  and  causing  us  in- 
finite trouble  and  great  loss  of  life.  Fortunately,  here  we  are 
so  strong  that  we  need  fear  no  reverse,  but  if  a  disaster  oc- 
curred I  tell  you,  Jules,  we  should  have  good  cause  to  curse 
the  marauders  who  have  converted  these  lazy  peasants  into 
desperate  foes." 

"  I  should  think  we  ought  not  to  lose  many  men  in  taking 
that  town,  sergeant.  There  seem  to  be  no  guns  on  the  walls. 
We  have  the  suburbs  to  cover  our  advance,  and  attacking  them 
on  all  sides,  as  we  shall  do,  we  ought  to  force  our  way  in  with- 
out much  trouble." 

"  It  would  seem  so,  lad ;  yes,  it  would  seem  so.  But  you 
know  in  Spain  it  once  cost  us  five  days'  fighting  after  we  got 
inside  a  town.  I  allow  it  was  not  like  this.  The  streets  were 
narrow,  the  houses  were  of  stone,  and  each  house  a  fortress, 
while,  as  you  can  see  from  here,  the  streets  are  wide  and  at 
right  angles  to  each  other,  and  the  houses  of  brick,  and,  I 
fancy,  many  of  them  of  wood.  Still,  knowing  what  the  Rus- 


186  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

sians  are,  I  would  wager  we  shall  not  capture  Smolensk  with  a 
loss  of  less  than  ten  thousand  men,  that  is  if  they  really  de- 
fend it  until  the  last. ' ' 

The  following  day,  the  i6th  of  August,  a  cannonade  was 
kept  up  against  the  walls  by  the  French  artillery,  the  Russians 
replying  but  seldom.  The  next  morning  it  was  discovered 
that  Prince  Bagration  had  marched  with  his  army  from  the  hills 
on  the  other  side  of  the  river  to  take  post  on  the  main  Moscow 
road  so  as  to  prevent  the  position  being  turned  by  the  advance 
of  a  portion  of  the  French  army  by  that  route.  During  the 
night  Barclay  had  thrown  two  pontoon  bridges  across  the  river 
in  addition  to  the  permanent  bridge.  At  daybreak  a  dropping 
fire  broke  out,  for  both  Davoust  and  Ney  had  sent  bodies  of 
troops  into  the  suburbs,  which  they  had  entered  without  op- 
position, and  these  now  opened  an  irritating  fire  on  the  Rus- 
sians upon  the  wall.  At  eight  o'clock  the  firing  suddenly 
swelled  into  a  roar.  Doctorow,  the  Russian  general  in  com- 
mand of  the  troops  in  the  town,  made  a  sortie,  and  cleared 
the  suburbs  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  Napoleon,  believing 
that  the  Russian  army  was  coming  out  to  attack  him,  drew  up 
Ney  and  Davoust's  troops  in  order  of  battle,  with  70,000  in- 
fantry in  the  first  line,  supported  by  Murat's  30,000  cavalry. 

Partial  attacks  were  continued  against  the  suburbs,  but  the 
Russians  obstinately  maintained  themselves  there.  Finding 
that  they  showed  no  signs  of  advancing  to  attack  him,  Napo- 
leon at  two  o'clock  gave  orders  for  a  general  assault,  and  the 
whole  of  the  French  troops  advanced  against  the  suburbs. 
The  attack  of  Ney's  corps  was  directed  against  the  Krasnoi 
suburb,  which  faced  them,  and  against  an  advanced  work 
known  as  the  citadel.  For  two  hours  a  terrible  struggle  went  on. 
The  Russians  defended  all  the  suburbs  with  desperate  tenacity, 
every  house  and  garden  was  the  scene  of  a  fierce  encounter,  men 
fought  with  bayonet  and  clubbed  muskets,  the  cannon  thun- 
dered on  the  heights,  and  Poniatowski  established  sixty  guns 


PLAN   OF   THE   BATTLE  OF   SMOLENSK. 


SMOLENSK  187 

on  a  hill  on  the  French  right,  but  a  short  distance  from  the 
river,  and  with  these  opened  fire  upon  the  bridges.  It  seemed 
that  these  must  soon  be  destroyed,  and  the  retreat  of  the  Rus- 
sian troops  in  Smolensk  entirely  cut  off.  In  a  short  time,  how- 
ever, the  Russians  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  planted  a 
number  of  guns  on  a  rise  of  equal  height  to  that  occupied  by 
Poniatowski's  artillery,  and  as  their  guns  took  his  battery  in 
flank,  he  was  ere  long  forced  to  withdraw  it  from  the  hill. 

It  was  only  after  two  hours'  fighting  that  the  Russians  with- 
drew from  the  suburbs  into  the  town  itself,  and  as  the  bridges 
across  the  river  had  not  suffered  greatly  from  the  fire  of  the 
great  French  battery,  Barclay  sent  Prince  Eugene  of  Wurtem- 
berg  across  to  reinforce  the  garrison.  As  soon  as  the  Russians 
retired  into  the  town  a  hundred  and  fifty  guns  opened  fire  on 
the  wall  to  effect  a  breach,  and  at  five  a  desperate  assault  was 
made  upon  one  of  the  gates,  which  was  for  a  moment  captured, 
but  Prince  Eugene  charged  forward  with  his  division  and  re- 
captured it  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  The  French  shell  and 
grape  swept  the  streets  and  set  fire  to  the  town  in  a  score  of 
places,  and  several  of  the  wooden  roofs  of  the  towers  upon  the 
wall  were  also  in  flames.  After  a  pause  for  a  couple  of  hours 
the  French  again  made  a  serious  and  desperate  assault,  but  the 
Russians  sternly  held  their  ground,  and  at  seven  o'clock  made 
a  sortie  from  behind  the  citadel,  and  drove  the  French  out  of 
the  Krasnoi  suburb.  At  nine  the  cannonade  ceased.  The 
French  fell  back  to  the  position  from  which  they  had  moved 
in  the  morning,  and  the  Russians  reoccupied  the  covered  ways 
in  front  of  the  wall  to  prevent  a  sudden  attack  during  the 
night. 

"  What  did  I  tell  you,  Jules  ?  "  the  old  sergeant  said  mourn- 
fully, when  the  shattered  remains  of  the  regiment  fell  out  and 
proceeded  to  cook  their  food.  "I  said  that  the  capture  of 
that  town  would  cost  us  10,000  men.  It  has  cost  Ney's  corps 
alone  half  that  number,  and  we  have  not  taken  it ;  and  yet  we 


188  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

fought  well.  Had  every  man  been  as  old  a  soldier  as  myself 
they  could  not  have  done  their  duty  better.  Peste  !  these 
Russians  are  obstinate  brigands." 

"  It  was  desperate  work,"  Julian  said,  "  more  terrible  than 
anything  I  could  have  imagined.  How  anyone  escaped  alive 
is  more  than  I  can  say.  Every  wall,  every  house  seemed  to 
be  fringed  with  fire.  I  heard  no  word  of  command  during 
the  day ;  all  there  was  to  do  was  to  load  and  fire — sometimes 
to  rush  forward  when  the  rest  did  so,  sometimes  to  fall  back 
when  the  Russians  poured  down  upon  us.  Shall  we  begin 
again  to-morrow?  " 

"I  suppose  so,"  the  sergeant  replied.  "We  certainly 
sha'n't  march  away  until  we  have  taken  it.  Perhaps  the 
enemy  may  evacuate  it.  The  whole  town  is  a  sea  of  flames ; 
there  is  nothing  to  fight  for,  and  next  time  we  shall  no  doubt 
breach  the  walls  thoroughly  before  we  try.  You  see,  we  un- 
dervalued the  Russians,  and  we  sha'n't  make  that  mistake 
again.  Well,  lad,  we  have  both  got  out  of  it  without  serious 
damage,  for  that  bullet  you  got  through  your  arm  will  soon 
heal  up  again,  but  there  is  one  thing,  if  you  remain  in  the 
army  for  the  next  twenty  years  you  are  not  likely  to  see  harder 
fighting." 

That  night,  indeed,  Smolensk  was  evacuated  by  the  Rus- 
sians, contrary  to  the  wishes  of  both  officers  and  men,  Prince 
Eugene  and  General  Doctorow  declaring  that  they  could  hold 
on  for  ten  days  longer.  This  might  doubtless  have  been  done, 
but  Barclay  was  afraid  that  Napoleon  might  sweep  round  and 
cross  the  river  somewhere  to  his  left,  and  that  in  that  case  he 
must  fall  back,  and  the  town  would  have  to  be  evacuated  in 
the  day  time  when  the  enemy  could  sweep  the  bridges  with 
their  fire.  By  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  whole  force 
in  the  city  had  crossed,  and  the  bridges  were  burnt  behind 
them.  The  flames  acquainted  the  French  with  the  fact  that 
the  city  had  been  evacuated,  and  at  daybreak  they  entered  the 


SMOLENSK  189 

town,  and  soon  afterwards  their  skirmishers  opened  fire  on  the 
Russians  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  At  eight  o'clock  a 
Spanish  brigade  crossed  the  river  waist  deep,  and  entered  the 
suburb  known  as  St.  Petersburg,  on  the  right  bank ;  but  they 
were  at  once  attacked ;  many  were  killed  or  taken  prisoners, 
and  the  rest  driven  across  the  river  again. 

General  Barclay  then  withdrew  his  army  to  the  heights, 
wishing  to  tempt  the  enemy  to  cross,  intending  to  give  them 
battle  before  all  had  made  the  passage ;  but  Napoleon  kept  his 
troops  in  hand,  except  that  his  artillery  maintained  a  fire  to 
the  right  against  the  Russians.  At  eight  o'clock  in  the  even- 
ing some  skirmishers  crossed  the  river,  and  fires  shortly  broke 
out  in  St.  Petersburg,  and  in  an  hour  several  hundred  houses, 
extending  for  a  mile  along  the  river,  were  in  a  blaze,  while 
those  in  Smolensk  were  still  burning  fiercely.  At  night  the 
Russians  again  fell  back.  The  direct  road  lay  parallel  with 
the  river,  but  as  it  was  commanded  by  the  enemy's  guns  Gen- 
eral Barclay  directed  the  force,  divided  into  two  columns,  to 
march  by  cross  roads.  These  led  over  two  steep  hills,  and, 
owing  to  the  harness  breaking,  these  roads  soon  became  blocked, 
and  the  march  was  discontinued  till  daylight  enabled  the 
drivers  to  get  the  five  hundred  guns  and  the  ammunition 
trains  up  the  hills. 

The  French,  finding  that  the  Russian  army  was  going  off, 
crossed  the  river  in  force  and  furiously  attacked  their  rear- 
guard, and  tried  to  penetrate  between  it  and  the  main  body 
of  the  army,  but  Prince  Eugene's  division  was  sent  back  to 
assist  General  Korf,  who  commanded  there.  In  the  meantime 
two  columns  of  the  French  moved  along  the  main  road  to 
Moscow  with  the  evident  intention  of  heading  the  Russian 
army  at  Loubino,  the  point  where  the  cross  road  by  which 
they  were  travelling  came  into  it.  This  they  might  have  ac- 
complished owing  to  the  much  shorter  distance  they  had  to 
travel  and  the  delays  caused  by  the  difficulty  of  getting  the 


190  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

guns  over  the  hills,  but  a  small  Russian  corps  under  Touchkoff 
had  been  sent  forward  to  cover  that  point.  Ney  had  crossed 
the  river  early  by  two  bridges  he  had  thrown  over  it,  and 
Touchkoff,  as  he  saw  this  force  pressing  along  the  main  road, 
took  up  a  position  where  he  covered  Loubino,  and  for  some 
hours  repulsed  all  the  efforts  of  the  French  to  pass. 

At  three  o'clock  the  pressure  upon  Touchkoff  became  so 
severe  that  several  regiments  from  Barclay's  column,  which 
was  passing  safely  along  while  he  kept  the  road  open  for  them, 
were  sent  to  his  assistance,  and  the  fight  continued.  Napoleon 
believed  that  the  whole  Russian  force  had  taken  post  at  Lou- 
bino, and  sent  forward  reinforcements  to  Ney.  The  woods 
were  so  thick  that  it  was  some  time  before  these  reached  him, 
the  guns  of  one  of  the  columns  being  obliged  to  go  a  mile  and 
a  half  through  a  wood  before  they  could  turn,  so  dense  was 
the  growth  of  the  trees.  Ney  now  pressed  forward  with  such 
vigour  that  Touchkoff  was  driven  from  his  position  in  advance, 
upon  the  village  itself,  where  he  was  again  reinforced  by  four 
infantry  battalions,  two  regiments  of  cavalry,  and  heavy  guns. 
Murat  with  his  cavalry  endeavoured  to  turn  the  Russian  left, 
but  the  two  Russian  cavalry  regiments,  supported  by  their  ar- 
tillery, maintained  their  ground.  Soon  after  five  o'clock  the 
French  had  received  such  large  reinforcements  that  the  Rus- 
sians were  forced  to  give  way,  and  were  in  full  retreat  when 
Barclay  himself  arrived  upon  the  scene,  and  rallied  them. 
The  battle  was  renewed,  and  the  last  effort  of  the  French  was 
repulsed  by  a  charge  with  the  bayonet  by  the  Russian  grena- 
diers. 

In  the  charge,  however,  General  Touchkoff,  by  whose 
valour  the  Russian  army  had  been  saved,  was  carried  too  far 
in  advance  of  his  men,  and  was  taken  prisoner.  It  was  not 
until  midnight  that  the  rear  of  Barclay's  column  emerged 
from  the  cross  road,  in  which  it  had  been  involved  for  twenty- 
four  hours.  In  this  fight  the  French  and  Russians  lost  about 


SMOLENSK  191 

6000  men  each.  Had  Junot  joined  Ney  in  the  attack  on 
TouchkofFs  force  the  greater  part  of  the  Russian  army  must 
have  been  destroyed  or  made  prisoners. 

The  Russian  army  now  pursued  its  march  towards  Moscow 
unmolested  save  by  some  attacks  by  Murat's  cavalry.  Ney's 
corps  d'armee  had  borne  the  brunt  of  the  fighting  at  Loubino, 
and  had  been  diminished  in  strength  by  another  4000  men. 
In  this  battle,  however,  Julian's  regiment,  having  suffered  so 
heavily  in  the  attack  at  Smolensk,  was  one  of  those  held  in 
reserve.  Napoleon  was  greatly  disappointed  at  the  escape  of 
the  Russian  army  from  his  grasp.  Only  30,000  Russians  had 
been  engaged  both  in  the  action  in  their  rear  and  in  that  at 
Loubino,  while  the  whole  of  the  French  army  round  Smo- 
lensk, with  the  exception  of  the  corps  of  Junot,  had  in  vain 
endeavoured  to  break  through  the  defence  and  to  fall  upon 
the  main  body  of  the  army  so  helplessly  struggling  along  the 
road. 

In  the  attack  on  Smolensk  12,000  of  Napoleon's  best  sol- 
diers had  fallen.  Loubino  cost  him  6000  more,  and  although 
these  numbers  were  but  small  in  proportion  to  the  total  strength 
of  his  army,  they  were  exclusively  those  of  French  soldiers  be- 
longing to  the  divisions  in  which  he  placed  his  main  trust.  It 
was  now  a  question  with  him  whether  he  should  establish  him- 
self for  the  winter  in  the  country  he  occupied,  accumulate 
stores,  make  Smolensk  a  great  depot  that  would  serve  as  a  base 
for  his  advance  in  the  spring,  or  move  on  at  once  against 
Moscow.  On  this  point  he  held  a  council  with  his  marshals. 
The  opinion  of  these  was  generally  favourable  to  the  former 
course.  The  desperate  fighting  of  the  three  previous  days  had 
opened  their  eyes  to  the  fact  that  even  so  great  a  force  as  that 
led  by  Napoleon  could  not  afford  to  despise  the  Russians.  The 
country  that  was  at  present  occupied  was  rich.  There  were 
so  many  towns  that  the  army  could  go  into  comfortable  quar- 
ters for  the  winter,  and  their  communications  with  the  frontier 


192  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

were  open  and  safe.     It  was  unquestionably  the  safer  and  more 
prudent  course. 

With  these  conclusions  Napoleon  agreed  in  theory.  It 
had  originally  been  his  intention  to  winter  in  the  prov- 
inces that  he  had  now  overrun,  and  to  inarch  against  St. 
Petersburg  or  Moscow  in  the  spring.  He  had,  however, 
other  matters  besides  those  of  military  expediency  to  con- 
sider. In  the  first  place,  the  Poles  were  exasperated  at  his 
refusal  to  re-establish  at  once  their  ancient  kingdom,  a 
refusal  necessitated  by  the  fact  that  he  could  not  do  so 
without  taking  from  Austria  and  Prussia,  his  allies,  the  Polish 
districts  that  had  fallen  to  their  share.  Then,  too,  the 
Poles  felt  the  terrible  pressure  of  supporting  the  army  still 
in  Poland,  and  of  contributing  to  the  vast  expenses  of  the  war, 
and  were  the  campaign  to  continue  long  their  attitude  might 
change  to  one  of  open  hostility.  In  the  next  place,  the  con- 
clusion of  peace,  brought  about  by  the  efforts  of  England,  be- 
tween both  Sweden  and  Turkey  with  Russia,  would  enable  the 
latter  to  bring  up  the  whole  of  the  forces  that  had  been  engaged 
in  the  south  with  the  Turks,  and  in  the  north  watching  the 
Swedish  frontier,  and  would  give  time  for  the  new  levies  to  be 
converted  into  good  soldiers  and  placed  in  the  field. 

Then,  too,  matters  were  going  on  badly  in  Spain.  He  could 
place  but  little  dependence  upon  Austria,  Prussia,  or  Germany. 
Were  he  absent  another  year  from  France  he  might  find  these 
countries  leagued  against  him.  Therefore,  although  recogniz- 
ing the  justice  of  the  arguments  of  his  marshals,  he  decided 
upon  pushing  on  to  Moscow,  and  establishing  himself  there 
for  the  winter.  He  did  not  even  yet  recognize  the  stubborn- 
ness and  constancy  of  the  Russian  character,  and  believed  that 
the  spectacle  of  their  ancient  capital  in  his  hands  would  induce 
them  at  once  to  treat  for  peace.  The  decision  was  welcome  to 
the  army.  The  general  wish  of  the  soldiers  was  to  get  the 
matter  over,  and  to  be  off  home  again.  The  obstinacy  with 


SMOLENSK  193 

which  the  Russians  fought,  the  rapidity  with  which  they 
marched,  the  intense  animosity  that  had  been  excited  among 
the  peasants  by  the  cruel  treatment  to  which  they  had  been 
exposed,  the  recklessness  with  which  they  threw  away  their 
lives  so  that  they  could  but  take  vengeance  for  their  sufferings, 
the  ferocity  with  which  every  straggler  or  small  detachment 
that  fell  into  their  hands  was  massacred — all  these  things  com- 
bined to  excite  a  feeling  of  gloom  and  anxiety  among  the  sol- 
diers. 

There  were  no  merry  songs  round  the  bivouac  fires  now  ; 
even  the  thought  of  the  plunder  of  Moscow  failed  to  raise 
their  spirits.  The  loss  of  so  many  tried  comrades  was  greatly 
felt  in  Ney's  division.  It  had  at  first  numbered  over  40,000, 
and  the  losses  in  battle  and  from  sickness  had  already  re- 
duced it  by  more  than  a  fourth.  Even  the  veterans  lost 
their  usual  impassive  attitude  of  contentment  with  the  existing 
state  of  things. 

"  What  I  don't  like,"  growled  one  of  the  old  sergeants, 
"  is  that  there  is  not  a  soul  in  the  villages,  not  a  solitary  man 
in  the  fields.  It  is  not  natural.  One  gets  the  same  sort  of 
feeling  one  has  when  a  thunderstorm  is  just  going  to  burst 
overhead.  When  it  has  begun  you  don't  mind  it,  but  while 
you  are  waiting  for  the  first  flash,  the  first  clap  of  thunder, 
you  get  a  sort  of  creepy  feeling.  That  is  just  what  the  sight 
of  all  this  deserted  country  makes  me  feel.  I  have  campaigned 
all  over  Europe,  but  I  never  saw  anything  like  this." 

A  growl  of  assent  passed  round  the  circle,  and  there  was  a 
general  repetition  of  the  words,  "  It  is  not  natural,  comrade. 
Even  in  Spain,"  one  said,  "where  they  hate  us  like  poison, 
the  people  don't  leave  their  villages  like  this.  The  young 
men  may  go,  but  the  old  men  and  the  women  and  children 
remain,  and  the  priest  is  sure  to  stop.  Here  there  is  not  so 
much  as  a  fowl  to  be  seen  in  the  streets.  The  whole  popu- 
lation is  gone — man,  woman,  and  child." 


194  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  It  makes  one  feel,"  another  said  gloomily,  "as  if  we 
were  accursed,  infected  with  the  plague,  or  something  of  that 
sort." 

"  Well,  don't  let  us  talk  about  it,"  another  said  with  an 
effort  at  cheerfulness.  "  There  is  Jules,  he  is  the  merriest 
fellow  in  our  company.  Come  here,  Jules.  We  are  all 
grumbling.  What  do  you  think  of  things  ?  ' ' 

"  I  don't  think  much  about  them  one  way  or  the  other," 
Julian  said  as  he  came  up.  "  We  have  not  a  great  deal 
further  to  go  to  Moscow,  and  the  sooner  we  get  there  the 
better.  Then  we  shall  have  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  some 
people. ' ' 

"Yes,  Jules,  that  is  what  is  vexing  us,  that  everyone  runs 
away  at  our  approach." 

"And  no  fools  either,"  Julian  replied,  "considering  the 
villainous  way  in  which  they  have  been  harried.  Even  peas- 
ants have  some  feeling,  and  when  they  are  treated  like  wild 
beasts  they  will  turn.  It  seems  to  me  that  instead  of  ill- 
treating  them  we  ought,  with  such  a  march  as  this  before  us, 
to  have  done  everything  in  our  power  to  show  them  that, 
although  we  were  going  to  fight  any  armies  that  opposed  us, 
we  had  no  ill-feeling  against  the  people  at  large.  If  they 
had  found  us  ready  to  pay  for  everything  we  wanted,  and  to 
treat  them  as  well  as  if  they  had  been  our  own  country 
people,  there  would  have  been  no  running  away  from  us. 
Then,  as  we  advanced  we  could  have  purchased  an  abundant 
supply  of  food  everywhere.  We  should  have  had  no  fear  as 
to  our  communications,  and  might  have  wandered  a  hundred 
yards  outside  our  sentries  without  the  risk  of  having  our 
throats  cut.  However,  it  is  of  no  use  going  over  these  argu- 
ments again.  The  thing  has  been  done  and  cannot  be 
undone,  and  we  have  but  to  accept  the  consequences,  and 
make  the  best  of  them.  A  man  who  burns  a  wood  mustn't 
complain  a  month  afterwards  because  he  has  no  fuel.  How- 


WITH    THE    RUSSIAN    ARMY  195 

ever,  I  hope  that  in  another  day  or  two  we  shall  be  moving  on. 
As  long  as  we  are  going  there  is  no  time  to  feel  it  dull ;  it  is 
the  halt,  after  being  so  long  in  motion,  that  gives  us  time  to 
talk,  and  puts  fancies  into  our  heads.  We  did  not  expect  a 
pleasure  excursion  when  we  started. ' ' 


CHAPTER  XI 

WITH    THE    RUSSIAN    ARMY 

WHEN  Frank  arrived  at  Canterbury  he  found  things  in 
confusion,  and  received  the  news  that  two  troops  had 
orders  to  march  the  next  morning  for  Portsmouth,  where  they 
were  to  embark  for  Spain. 

"Why,  the  major  said  he  would  write!"  he  exclaimed. 
"His  letter  must  have  missed  me  somehow.  I  shall  have 
enough  to  do  to  get  ready  to-night." 

"You  are  not  going,  Wyatt,"  Wilmington,  who  was  his 
informant,  said.  "The  order  expressly  stated  that  Cornet 
Wyatt  was  not  to  accompany  his  troop,  as  his  services  were 
required  in  another  direction,  and  that  another  officer  was  to 
take  his  place,  and  I  am  going  with  your  troop.  Lister  has 
been  grumbling  desperately.  What  on  earth  can  they  want 
you  for?  However,  there  is  a  batch  of  letters  for  you  in  the 
ante -room,  and  I  daresay  you  will  learn  something  about  it 
from  them . ' ' 

Frank  ran  in.  There  were  two  letters.  One  was  an  official 
document ;  the  direction  of  the  other  was  in  Sir  Robert  Wil- 
son's handwriting.  He  opened  this  first. 

"  My  dear  Wyatt,  your  letter  inclosing  Strelinski's  certifi- 
cate came  in  the  nick  of  time.  I  had  already  made  an  appli- 
cation that  you  should  be  attached  to  me  for  service,  on  the 
ground  that  you  belonged  to  my  old  regiment,  and  knew  some- 


196  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

thing  of  Russian ;  but  your  age  and  short  service  were  against 
you,  and  I  doubt  whether  I  should  have  succeeded,  as  the  post 
is  considered  an  important  one.  However,  when  I  went  and 
showed  them  the  Pole's  report  as  to  your  knowledge  of  Rus- 
sian, and  pointed  out  that  this  was  a  far  more  important  matter 
in  the  present  case  than  any  question  of  age  or  service,  the 
commander-in-chief  at  once  agreed,  and  you  will  no  doubt 
receive  an  intimation  that  you  are  appointed  my  aide-de-camp. 
I  have  been  made  a  brigadier-general.  It  is  not  as  yet  settled 
when  we  shall  start.  I  have  only  just  received  my  official  ap- 
pointment, and  there  is  no  saying  when  I  may  get  my  final 
instructions  ;  for  it  is  to  a  certain  extent  a  political  affair,  and 
this  sort  of  thing  always  drags  on  for  a  long  time  before  it 
comes  to  a  head.  It  is  lucky  that  your  matter  is  arranged  now, 
for  I  hear  at  the  Horse-guards  that  your  troop  is  ordered  out 
to  Spain.  No  doubt,  just  at  the  moment,  you  will  be  sorry 
that  you  are  not  going  with  it,  but  I  can  assure  you  that  this 
business  will  be  vastly  more  useful  to  you  in  your  profession, 
than  anything  you  would  be  likely  to  meet  with  as  a  cavalry 
subaltern  in  Spain." 

For  a  moment,  indeed,  Frank  did  regret  that  he  was  not 
going  to  accompany  his  troop.  He  was  so  sure,  however,  that 
Sir  Robert  Wilson  was  acting  for  the  best  that  he  put  aside  this 
feeling.  The  official  letter  was  a  simple  notification  that  he 
was  appointed  aide-de-camp  to  General  Sir  Robert  Wilson,  but 
that  he  was  to  remain  at  the  depot  and  continue  his  ordinary 
duties  until  a  further  intimation  reached  him.  The  excitement 
of  departure  had,  Frank  was  glad  to  find,  quite  thrown  that 
caused  by  his  duel  into  the  background.  All  the  officers  who 
were  to  go  were  busy  with  their  preparations,  and  Frank  was 
occupied  until  a  late  hour  that  night  in  assisting  them  in  pack- 
ing not  only  the  baggage  that  was  to  be  taken,  but  the  heavy 
cases  that  were  to  be  stored  away  until  their  return.  Many 
were  the  regrets  expressed  by  the  officers  who  were  going  out 


WITH    THE    RUSSIAN    ARMY  197 

that  Frank  was  not  to  accompany  them,  and  much  curiosity 
expressed  as  to  the  reason  for  which  he  was  kept  behind.  He 
felt  that,  although  Sir  Robert  Wilson  had  not  specially  enjoined 
silence,  it  would  be  undesirable  that  any  information  as  to  the 
probability  of  his  proceeding  to  Russia  should  be  given.  He 
therefore  said : 

"  I  only  know  that  Sir  Robert  Wilson,  who  was  a  great  friend 
of  my  father's,  and  who  obtained  my  commission  for  me,  is 
going  to  have  a  command  somewhere,  and  has  asked  for  me  as 
one  of  his  aides-de-camp  on  the  ground  of  his  friendship  for 
my  father,  and  his  former  connection  with  our  regiment." 

"  Well,  then,  very  likely  we  shall  see  you  out  there  before 
long,  Wyatt,"  Captain  Lister  said.  "  Of  course,  it  is  a  com- 
pliment to  the  regiment,  but  I  daresay  you  feel  it  as  a  nuisance 
at  present." 

"  I  should  like  to  be  going  with  you  all,  Lister;  but  I  sup- 
pose this  is  best  for  me  in  the  long  run." 

"  Of  course  it  is.  It  is  always  a  good  thing  for  a  fellow  to 
serve  on  the  staff.  You  have  ten  times  as  good  a  chance  of 
getting  mentioned  in  the  despatches,  as  have  the  men  who  do 
all  the  fighting.  Still,  I  have  no  doubt  you  will  deserve  any 
credit  you  may  get,  which  is  more  than  is  the  case  nine  times 
out  often." 

"  How  is  Marshall  getting  on?  " 

' '  He  is  going  on  all  right.  He  has  sent  in  his  papers,  and  I 
suppose  he  will  be  gazetted  out  by  the  time  he  is  able  to  travel. 
I  can  assure  you  that  there  was  quite  as  much  satisfaction  in 
the  Lancers  at  the  turn  the  affair  took  as  there  was  with  us." 

"  Does  the  major  go  with  you,  Lister?  " 

"  No  ;  he  remains  in  command  of  the  depot  for  the  present. 
Of  course,  he  will  go  out  if  a  vacancy  occurs  above  him  ;  but 
in  any  case  he  will  go  with  the  next  draft,  and  the  next  two 
troops  will  be  wound  up  to  service  pitch  in  another  couple  of 
months,  so  I  expect  by  the  spring  he  will  be  out  there.  I 


198  THROUGH    RUSSIAN   SNOWS 

should  not  have  minded  if  we  too  had  waited  until  then, 
for  of  course  the  army  have  gone  into  its  winter  quarters, 
and  there  will  be  nothing  doing  for  the  next  three  or  four 
months ;  and  I  take  it  we  should  be  a  good  deal  more  com- 
fortable here,  than  posted  in  some  wretched  little  Spanish 
town  till  operations  commence  again.  No  doubt  you  will  be 
out  there  long  before  the  first  shot  is  fired." 

Another  three  months  passed,  and  on  the  28th  of  March, 
1812,  Frank  received  an  official  order  to  join  Sir  Robert  Wil- 
son at  once,  and  a  letter  from  the  general,  informing  him  that 
they  were  to  sail  on  the  8th  of  April.  The  letter  was  written 
in  haste,  and  gave  no  intimation  whatever  as  to  their  destina- 
tion. During  this  three  months  Frank  had  worked  almost 
incessantly  at  Russian.  He  had  informed  the  major  in  confi- 
dence that  he  believed  Sir  Robert  Wilson  was  going  as  British 
Commissioner  to  the  Russian  army  when  the  war  broke  out 
with  France. 

"  Ah  !  that  accounts  for  your  working  so  hard  at  Russian, 
Wyatt,"  the  major  said  in  reply.  "I  suppose  you  had  re- 
ceived a  hint  from  Sir  Robert." 

"  Yes,  Major.  He  told  me  that  as  he  had  been  commis- 
sioner with  the  Russians  in  their  last  war,  it  was  probable 
that,  if  the  rumours  that  Napoleon  intended  to  invade  Russia 
proved  correct,  he  might  be  appointed  again,  and  said  that  if 
I  could  get  up  enough  of  the  language  to  speak  it  pretty  flu- 
ently, he  would  apply  for  me." 

"Well,  you  deserve  it,  Wyatt:  for  there  is  no  doubt  that 
you  have  worked  hard  indeed  ;  and  it  will  be  a  capital  thing 
for  you.  Is  there  anything  I  can  do?  " 

"Yes,  sir.  I  thought,  perhaps,  that  when  you  knew  what 
I  am  going  to  do,  you  would  relieve  me  of  some  of  the  ordi- 
nary drills,  as  I  should  like  to  spend  as  much  time  as  possible 
before  I  go,  in  getting  up  Russian." 

"  Certainly,"  the  major  said.      "  After  the  official  informa- 


WITH    THE    RUSSIAN    ARMY  199 

tion  that  you  were  not  to  proceed  with  the  draft,  as  you  would 
be  required  for  special  service,  I  have  a  right  to  consider  you 
as  a  supernumerary  here,  and  will  relieve  you  of  all  ordinary 
drills  and  parades.  You  must,  of  course,  take  your  turn  as 
officer  of  the  day,  and  if  there  are  any  special  parades  ordered, 
or  any  field  days  with  the  Lancers,  you  will  attend,  but  other- 
wise you  will  be  free  of  all  duty.  The  two  next  troops  to  go 
have  their  full  complement  of  officers,  so  that  really  you  are 
not  wanted." 

As  soon  as  Frank  received  Sir  Robert  Wilson's  letter  he 
went  to  Strelinski. 

"  It  has  come,"  he  said.  "I  have  to  go  up  to  town  to- 
morrow, as  I  embark  on  the  8th.  I  am  awfully  sorry  that  our 
lessons  have  come  to  an  end.  However,  they  have  lasted  over 
the  year  that  we  talked  of  at  first. ' ' 

"  I  am  sorry  too,  Mr.  Wyatt ;  though  really  I  feel  that  in  no 
case  need  you  have  continued  your  studies  any  longer.  The 
last  three  months  has  made  a  great  difference,  for  you  have 
been  talking  Russian  some  eight  or  ten  hours  a  day,  and  are 
now  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  language  for  any  purpose 
whatever,  except  perhaps  writing  a  book  in  it.  If  I  had  not 
known  that  you  might  leave  at  any  time,  I  should  myself  have 
told  you  that  I  considered  there  was  no- advantage  to  be  gained 
by  your  going  on  with  me  any  longer.  I  shall,  of  course,  go 
up  to  London  with  you  to-morrow." 

"  I  am  sorry  for  your  sake,  as  well  as  my  own,  that  our  les- 
sons are  over,  Strelinski." 

"  It  cannot  be  helped,"  the  Pole  replied.  "  It  has  been  a 
God-send  to  me.  When  I  first  met  you,  I  was  well-nigh 
hopeless.  Now  I  shall  begin  the  battle  again  with  fresh  cour- 
age. I  have  saved  enough  money  to  keep  me,  with  care,  for 
many  months,  and  doubtless  your  recommendation  that  you 
have  learned  Russian  from  me,  will  make  matters  more  easy 
for  me  than  they  were  before." 


200  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

On  arriving  in  town  Frank  went  at  once  to  Sir  Robert  Wil- 
son's lodging.  He  found  the  general  in,  and  after  the  first 
greetings,  learned  from  him  that  they  were  to  accompany  the 
newly-appointed  ambassador  to  Constantinople.  "Our object 
there,"  Sir  Robert  said,  "is  to  arrange,  if  possible,  a  peace 
between  Russia  and  Turkey.  There  is  no  doubt  whatever  that 
Napoleon  intends  war.  It  is  not  declared  yet,  but  it  is  abso- 
lutely certain,  and  it  is  of  vital  importance  that  Russia  should 
have  her  hands  free  in  other  directions.  As  soon  as  this  is 
arranged, — and  I  have  no  doubt  that  it  will  be  managed,  for 
it  is  so  necessary  to  Russia  that  she  will  grant  any  terms,  in 
reason,  that  Turkey  can  ask, — 1  am  to  journey  north  and  join 
the  headquarters  of  the  Russian  army." 

This  was  delightful  news  to  Frank.  European  travel  in 
those  days  was  rare,  and  to  have  the  opportunity  of  visiting 
Constantinople,  as  well  as  being  present  at  the  tremendous 
encounter  about  to  take  place,  was  an  unexpected  pleasure 
indeed. 

"  There  is  one  thing  I  want  to  speak  to  you  about,  Sir  Rob- 
ert," he  said  presently.  "  It  is  about  Strelinski.  1  have  been 
thinking  that  perhaps,  as  war  is  about  to  break  out  between 
Russia  and  France,  you  might  be  kind  enough  to  get  a  post 
for  him  as  interpreter  at  the  War  Office  or  Foreign  Office." 

"  I  have  already  thought  of  that,"  the  general  said.  "  You 
wrote  so  highly  of  him  in  your  letters,  that  I  felt  I  could  thor- 
oughly recommend  him,  and  I  spoke  about  it  only  the  day 
before  yesterday  to  the  Marquis  of  Wellesley,  and  he  said  at 
once  that  they  should  be  glad  to  have  such  a  man,  as  it  would 
enable  me  to  send  over  official  documents  and  other  Russian 
statements  without  the  trouble  and  loss  of  time  in  translating 
them,  and  as  the  man  is  from  Russian  Poland,  he  could  give 
information  concerning  the  country  and  the  roads  and  other 
matters  that  would  help  them  to  understand  what  is  going  on, 
especially  as,  until  my  arrival  there,  they  will  have  to  depend 


WITH    THE    RUSSIAN    ARMY  201 

upon  Russian  documents  sent  over  by  our  ambassador  at  St. 
Petersburg.  Tell  him  to  be  here  at  eleven  o'clock  to-morrow 
morning,  and  be  here  yourself  in  uniform.  I  have  an  appoint- 
ment with  Lord  Wellesley  at  half-past." 

Frank  had  put  up  at  the  hotel  where  the  coach  stopped,  and 
had  invited  Strelinski  to  stay  there  with  him  until  he  started  ; 
and  on  his  return  he  delighted  the  Pole  by  telling  him  that 
there  was  some  chance  of  Sir  Robert  Wilson  obtaining  for  him 
an  appointment  as  interpreter.  The  next  day  Frank  and  Stre- 
linski accompanied  Sir  Robert  Wilson  to  the  War  Office. 
They  remained  in  the  ante-chamber  while  the  general  went 
in  to  Lord  Wellesley's  apartments.  In  half  an  hour  an  officer 
came  out  and  called  Frank  in. 

"  Sir  Robert  Wilson  has  spoken  very  warmly  in  your  :~avour, 
Mr.  Wyatt,"  Lord  Wellesley  said,  holding  out  his  hand,  a.  Sir 
Robert  introduced  him,  "  and  his  report  is  confirmed  by  your 
commanding  officer,  Major  Tritton,  who  gives  an  excellent  ac- 
count of  you.  But  you  must  not  deprive  His  Majesty's  army 
of  the  services  of  any  more  of  its  officers,  Mr.  Wyatt.  Of 
course  I  received  full  details  of  that  affair,  and  I  am  bound  to 
say  that  it  seems  you  behaved  admirably,  and  you  must  be  a 
wonderful  shot.  You  don't  look  like  a  fire-eater  either.  It  is 
a  bad  practice,  Mr.  Wyatt,  a  very  bad  practice.  Well,  well," 
he  broke  off,  seeing  a  slight  smile  on  Sir  Robert's  lips,  "  I  sup- 
pose I  have  no  right  to  say  anything  about  it,  having  been  an 
offender  myself.  However,  from  what  I  have  learned,  if  ever 
a  duel  was  justified,  yours  was.  Well,  sir,  I  hope  that  your 
future  career  will  correspond  with  the  reports  that  I  have  re- 
ceived of  your  past  conduct.  You  are  very  fortunate  in  hav- 
ing been  chosen  for  so  important  a  service  as  that  upon  which 
you  are  now  embarking,  and  I  need  hardly  say  that  it  will  be 
of  great  value  to  you  in  your  profession." 

Frank  expressed  his  thanks,  and  then  retired.  Strelinski 
was  then  called  in,  and  in  a  few  minutes  returned  radiant. 


202  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"What  do  I  not  owe  to  you,"  he  said,  "to  you  and 
General  Wilson  ?  I  have  been  appointed  interpreter  on  a 
salary  of  two  hundred  a  year.  Think  of  it  !  my  fortune  is 
made." 

"I  congratulate  you  indeed,"  Frank  replied  warmly.  "  I 
did  not  like  to  raise  your  hopes  too  high,  but  I  felt  sure,  by 
what  Sir  Robert  said,  that  it  was  as  good  as  settled.  I  am 
almost  as  pleased  as  you  are,  for  I  should  have  been  awfully 
sorry  to  go  away,  without  knowing  that  you  were  comfortably 
settled  here." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do,  Wyatt,  till  you  start?  "  General 
Wilson  asked,  as  they  left  the  War  Office. 

"  It  depends  whether  I  can  be  useful  here  ;  if  so,  I  am  of 
course  ready  to  do  anything,  but  if  you  will  not  in  any  way 
war-,,  me,  I  shall  start  this  evening  by  the  coach  for  Weymouth, 
and  join  you  at  Portsmouth.  I  will  send  my  baggage  off  at 
once  by  waggon." 

"  Do  so  by  all  means,  Wyatt.  Direct  it  '  Care  of  General 
Wilson,  His  Majesty's  ship  Argo.'  You  had  better  be  there 
on  the  afternoon  of  the  yth,  and  go  on  board  at  once.  We 
shall  be  down  that  evening,  and  shall  sleep  at  the  George,  and 
go  on  board  the  first  thing  in  the  morning." 

Frank  found  his  aunt  in  good  health.  He  stayed  there 
three  days,  and  then  posted  to  Portsmouth,  getting  there  early 
on  the  morning  of  the  yth.  Thz  Argo  was  lying  at  Spithead. 
Taking  a  wherry  he  went  out  to  her  at  once.  He  found  that 
all  was  in  readiness,  and  that  a  small  cabin  had  been  assigned 
to  him  next  to  that  of  Sir  Robert  Wilson.  His  trunk  was  al- 
ready there,  and  leaving  his  small  portmanteau  in  his  cabin,  he 
went  ashore  and  took  up  his  quarters  at  the  George.  The  am- 
bassador, his  secretary,  and  General  Wilson  arrived  together 
in  a  post-chaise  in  the  evening,  and  at  eight  o'clock  next 
morning  they  all  went  on  board. 

The  voyage  was  long  and  tedious,  but  Frank  was  very  glad 


WITH    THE    RUSSIAN    ARMY  203 

of  a  stay  for  two  or  three  days  at  Gibraltar,  and  as  long  at 
Malta. 

The  Argo  arrived  at  Constantinople  at  the  end  of  June, 
and  they  found  that  the  treaty  of  peace  between  Turkey  and 
Russia  had  been  already  arranged.  A  month  wras  spent  in 
vexatious  delays,  which  were  the  more  irritating  as  it  was 
known  that  Napoleon  had  arrived  at  the  frontier,  and  was  on 
the  point  of  crossing  the  Niemen,  if  he  had  not  already  done 
so.  At  last  the  British  ambassador  succeeded  in  overcoming 
the  inertness  of  the  Porte;  on  the  i4th  of  July  the  treaty 
was  finally  ratified,  and  on  the  2yth  Sir  Robert  Wilson  was 
sent  by  our  ambassador  to  Shumla  to  arrange  details  with  the 
Grand  Vizier.  Thence  he  went  to  the  Congress  at  Bucharest, 
which  was  the  headquarters  of  the  Russian  Admiral,  Tchicha- 
gow,  who  commanded  their  army  of  the  Danube. 

After  having  finally  arranged  these  matters,  he  started 
north  with  Frank,  furnished  with  an  order  to  postmasters 
on  the  road  to  supply  them  instantly  with  relays  of  horses. 
Travelling  night  and  day  without  a  stop,  they  arrived  at 
Smolensk  on  the  day  before  the  French  attacked  the  place. 
Sir  Robert  had  expected  to  find  the  Emperor  here,  but  learnt 
that  he  was  still  at  St.  Petersburg.  Being  personally  ac- 
quainted with  all  the  Russian  generals  he  was  received  with 
the  greatest  courtesy,  and  at  once  placed  himself  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  commander-in-chief,  while  Frank  was  introduced 
to  the  members  of  the  staff. 

Sir  Robert  Wilson  found  that  a  very  grave  state  of  things 
was  prevailing.  The  generals  were  in  open  dissension  with 
Barclay  for  having  suffered  the  enemy  to  overrun  so  many 
provinces,  and  for  not  making  any  dispositions  to  defend  the 
line  of  the  Dnieper. 

Next  morning  the  Englishmen  were  awakened  by  a  roar  of 
musketry.  They  had  been  furnished  with  horses,  and,  dress- 
ing hastily,  mounted,  and  joined  the  commander-in-chief  s 


204  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

staff,  which  was  taking  up  its  position  on  the  hill,  whence  a 
general  view  could  be  obtained  of  what  was  passing  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river.  An  aide-de-camp  was  on  the  point 
of  starting  as  they  rode  up  to  ascertain  the  exact  position  of 
things  in  the  town,  and  Sir  Robert  ordered  Frank  to  accom- 
pany him.  Frank  had  been  introduced  to  the  aide-de-camp 
on  the  previous  day,  and  as  they  dashed  down  towards  the 
bridge,  he  said  : 

"  The  fighting  seems  very  heavy." 

"It  will  be  heavier  before  they  take  Smolensk,"  the  Rus- 
sian said.  "  There  are  20,000  men  in  the  town,  and  rein- 
forcements can  be  sent  across  as  required.  At  present  the 
fighting  is  in  the  suburbs,  but  they  won't  drive  us  out  of  them 
as  quickly  as  they  expect." 

After  crossing  the  bridge  they  made  their  way  to  the  head- 
quarters of  General  Doctorow,  and  were  at  once  shown  in. 
The  Russian  saluted:  "The  commander-in-chief  sends  his 
compliments  to  you,  general,  and  wishes  to  know  how  things 
are  going  on,  and  whether  you  need  reinforcements.  He 
desires  that  you  should  send  messengers  every  ten  minutes 
acquainting  him  with  the  progress  of  affairs." 

"All  goes  well  at  present.  The  troops  are  everywhere 
doing  their  duty.  As  yet  we  need  no  reinforcements.  They 
are  making  but  little  way  in  any  of  the  suburbs,  but  of  course 
their  attack  is  not  yet  fully  developed." 

"  Allow  me  to  introduce  to  your  Excellency  this  British 
officer,  Mr.  Wyatt,  aide-de-camp  to  General  Wilson,  who 
arrived  in  our  camp  yesterday  afternoon  as  British  commis- 
sioner." 

"  You  have  come  at  an  opportune  moment,  sir,  to  see  fight- 
ing. If  you  had  come  sooner  you  would  have  seen  nothing 
but  running  away.  If  you  would  like  to  make  a  tour  of  the 
walls  to  see  what  is  going  on,  an  officer  shall  accompany  you." 

Frank  accepted  the  invitation  with  thanks.      He  had  noth- 


WITH    THE    RUSSIAN    ARMY  205 

ing  at  present  to  report  more  than  the  aide-de-camp  would 
take  back,  and  he  knew  that  Sir  Robert  would  be  glad  of  fur- 
ther particulars.  He  therefore  asked  him  to  tell  Sir  Robert 
why  he  had  stayed,  and  at  once  proceeded  to  the  walls,  accom- 
panied by  an  officer  of  Doctorow's  staff.  From  there,  little 
could  be  seen  of  the  fighting.  The  musketry  fire,  indeed, 
had  almost  ceased,  and  the  French  could  be  seen  retiring  up 
the  hill,  where  dense  masses  of  troops  were  drawn  up.  Re- 
turning to  the  general's  quarters  he  mounted  and  rode  back  to 
the  commander-in-chief  s  staff. 

"  The  affair  has  scarcely  begun  yet,"  he  said  to  Sir  Robert, 
"  but  the  whole  of  the  French  army  is  drawn  up  in  line  of 
battle,  and,  I  should  say,  is  about  to  assault  the  town  in  full 
force." 

For  some  hours  there  was  a  lull,  but  about  mid-day  heavy 
masses  of  troops  were  seen  descending  from  the  French  posi- 
tions, and  as  they  approached  the  suburbs  a  roar  of  musketry 
broke  out.  Twice  in  the  course  of  the  next  two  hours  Frank 
was  sent  down  into  the  town.  He  reported  that,  although 
resisting  with  the  greatest  obstinacy,  the  Russians  were  being 
driven  out  of  the  suburbs.  Just  as  he  returned  the  second 
time,  Sir  Robert  Wilson,  who  was  examining  the  enemy's 
position  with  a  telescope,  observed  that  ten  batteries  of  artil- 
lery were  making  their  way  up  the  steep  hill  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river.  He  at  once  reported  this  to  the  general,  adding : 
"  They  will  very  speedily  knock  the  bridges  into  pieces  and 
isolate  the  garrison  altogether.  But  I  think,  sir,"  he  added, 
"  if  you  place  some  batteries  on  the  hill  on  this  side,  you  will 
take  them  in  flank.  The  two  hills  are  both  about  the  same 
height,  and  they  will  be  completely  exposed  to  your  fire." 

"  Very  well,"  General  Barclay  replied,  "  I  will  order  eight 
batteries  up  there  at  once,  and  you  will  oblige  me  if  you  will 
accompany  them  and  indicate  the  best  position  for  them  to 
take  up.  Colonel  Stellitz,  you  will  at  once  carry  the  order  to 


206  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

the  artillery,  and  request  the  officer  in  command  of  the  bat- 
teries to  post  them  as  General  Wilson  may  advise." 

Sir  Robert  and  the  colonel,  followed  by  Frank,  at  once 
rode  off.  Just  as  they  reached  the  artillery,  the  French  bat- 
tery opened  fire.  Exclamations  of  rage  burst  from  the  soldiers 
as  the  shot  splashed  into  the  water  round  the  bridges  and  the 
shell  burst  over  them.  The  general  in  command  of  the  artil- 
lery, on  receiving  the  order,  directed  eight  batteries  to  follow 
General  Wilson.  At  a  gallop  they  dashed  up  the  hill,  and  in 
ten  minutes  had  unlimbered  and  opened  fire  upon  the  French. 
The  effect  was  visible  at  once.  Much  confusion  was  observed 
among  the  artillery-men,  and  in  a  short  time  several  of  the 
guns  were  dismounted,  and  four  or  five  powder  waggons  blown 
up.  Then  a  loud  cheer  burst  from  the  Russian  artillery-men 
as  they  saw  the  French  bring  up  the  horses  from  behind  the 
shelter  of  the  crest,  limber-up  and  drive  off  with  the  guns. 
But  from  other  points  of  vantage  150  guns  Avere  now  pouring 
their  fire  into  the  town,  and,  as  the  flames  broke  out  from 
several  quarters,  exclamations  of  grief  and  fury  were  heard 
from  the  Russian  soldiers. 

Smolensk  was,  like  Moscow,  considered  a  sacred  city,  and 
the  soldiers  were  affected  rather  by  the  impiety  of  the  act  than 
by  the  actual  destruction  that  was  being  wrought.  As  Gen- 
eral Wilson  and  Frank  rode  back  to  the  spot  where  Gen- 
eral Barclay  was  stationed,  a  mass  of  Russian  infantry  moved 
down  the  hill  towards  the  bridges,  and  at  once  began  to 
cross. 

"  Whose  division  is  that?  "  Sir  Robert  asked  an  officer  as 
they  joined  the  staff. 

"It  is  Prince  Eugene's,"  he  replied.  "  They  are  pressing 
us  hard  now,  having  driven  Doctorow's  men  out  of  the 
covered  way,  and  are  massing  for  an  assault  on  one  of  the 
gates. ' ' 

The  fire  continued  unabated  until  seven  o'clock.     Then  a 


WITH    THE    RUSSIAN    ARMY  207 

messenger  came  across  with  the  news  that  the  French  were 
drawing  off,  and  that  the  covered  way  was  being  reoccupied. 
General  Wilson  was  warmly  thanked  by  the  Russian  com- 
mander-in-chief  for  having  silenced  the  batteries  that  had 
threatened  the  bridges.  That  evening,  when  he  issued  the  or- 
der for  the  evacuation  of  Smolensk,  the  disaffection  with  Bar- 
clay de  Tolly  broke  out  with  renewed  force,  and  during  the 
night  a  body  of  generals  came  to  Sir  Robert  Wilson's  tent. 
He  was  at  the  time  occupied  in  dictating  a  despatch  to  Frank, 
whom  he  requested  to  retire  directly  he  saw  the  rank  of  his 
visitors.  As  soon  as  they  were  alone  they  said  that  it  had  been 
resolved  to  send  to  the  Emperor  not  only  the  request  of  the 
army  for  a  new  chief,  but  a  declaration  in  their  own  name  and 
that  of  the  troops  "  that  if  any  order  came  from  St.  Peters- 
burg, to  suspend  hostilities  and  greet  the  invaders  as  friends  " 
— for  it  had  all  along  been  believed  that  the  retrograde  move- 
ments were  the  result  of  the  advice  of  the  minister,  Count 
Romanzow — ' '  such  an  order  would  be  regarded  as  one  that 
did  not  express  his  Imperial  Majesty's  real  sentiments  and 
wishes,  but  had  been  extracted  from  his  Majesty  under  false 
representations  or  external  control,  and  that  the  army  would 
continue  to  maintain  its  pledge  and  to  pursue  the  contest  till 
the  invader  was  driven  beyond  the  frontier." 

"  We  are  here,  General  Wilson,"  one  of  the  generals  said, 
"  to  beg  you  to  undertake  the  delivery  of  this  message  to  the 
Emperor.  It  would  mean  death  to  any  Russian  officer  who 
undertook  the  commission,  but,  knowing  your  attachment  to 
the  Emperor,  and  his  equally  well-known  feelings  towards 
yourself,  no  person  is  so  well  qualified  to  lay  the  expression  of 
our  sentiments  before  him.  Your  motives  in  doing  so  cannot 
be  suspected  ;  coming  from  you,  the  Emperor's  self-respect 
would  not  suffer  in  the  same  way  as  it  would  do,  were  the 
message  conveyed  to  him  by  one  of  his  own  subjects. ' ' 

One  after  another  the  generals  urged  the  request, 


208  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

Sir  Robert  listened  to  their  arguments,  and  then  said  : 
"  This  is  altogether  too  grave  a  matter  for  me  to  decide  upon 
hastily.  I  know  thoroughly  well  that  there  is  no  thought  of 
disloyalty  in  the  mind  of  any  of  you  towards  the  will  of  the 
Emperor,  but  the  act  is  one  of  the  gravest  insubordination, 
and  it  is  indeed  a  threat  that  you  will  disobey  his  Majesty's 
commands  in  the  event  of  his  ordering  a  suspension  of  hostili- 
ties. As  to  the  conduct  of  the  commander-in-chief,  I  am  not 
competent  to  express  any  opinion  whatever,  but  as  a  soldier  I 
can  understand  that  this  long-continued  retreat  and  the 
abandonment  of  so  many  provinces  to  the  enemy,  without 
striking  a  single  blow  in  their  defence,  is  trying  in  the  ex- 
treme, both  to  yourselves  and  your  brave  soldiers.  I  shall  not 
leave  the  army  until  I  see  it  fairly  on  the  march  again,  but 
before  I  start  I  will  give  you  my  reply." 

The  generals  thanked  Sir  Robert  warmly,  and  then  with- 
drew. 

"  I  shall  write  no  more  to-night,  Wyatt,"  the  general  said 
when  Frank  entered  the  tent.  "  I  have  other  grave  matters 
to  think  about.  You  had  best  lie  down  at  once,  and  get  a 
few  hours'  sleep.  To-morrow  is  likely  to  be  an  eventful  day, 
for  the  operation  of  withdrawi ng  the  army  from  this  position 
and  getting  on  to  the  main  road  again  will  be  full  of  peril,  and 
may  indeed  end  in  a  terrible  disaster." 

As  soon  as  the  Russian  army  had  repulsed  the  attacks  of 
the  French  and  resumed  its  march  towards  Moscow,  Sir 
Robert  Wilson  left  it  and  proceeded  to  St.  Petersburg,  where 
he  had  promised  the  Russian  generals  to  inform  the  Czar  of 
the  opinion  and  disposition  of  the  army,  their  dissatisfaction 
with  the  general,  and  their  determination  to  continue  the 
combat  and  to  refuse  to  recognize  any  negotiations  or  armis- 
tice that  might  be  made  with  the  enemy. 

"  I  shall  leave  you  here,  Wyatt,"  the  General  said,  on  the 
morning  after  the  desperate  defence  of  Loubino  had  saved 


WITH    THE    RUSSIAN    ARMY  209 

the  army.  "  There  is  little  chance  of  the  French  pressing 
the  Russians  any  further.  I  think  it  probable  that  they  may 
go  into  winter  quarters  where  they  now  are ;  but  in  any  case 
they  cannot  hope  to  outmarch  us,  and,  if  they  follow,  the 
battle  will  be  in  the  position  the  Russians  may  choose. 
Even  were  there  more  fighting  imminent,  I  should  still  start  to- 
day for  St.  Petersburg ;  I  only  came  round  by  Smolensk,  as  you 
know,  because  I  thought  that  the  Emperor  would  be  found 
there.  My  first  duty  is  to  see  him,  and  to  report  to  him 
the  arrangements  that  have  been  made  on  the  Danube  with 
the  Grand  Vizier  and  his  people,  by  which  the  whole  of  the 
Russian  army  there  will  be  able  to  join  in  the  defence  against 
the  French.  As  soon  as  I  have  done  so  and  explained  to 
his  Majesty  the  position  here,  I  shall  rejoin  ;  and  I  hope  the 
Czar  will  also  be  coming  down  here,  for  his  presence  would 
be  most  useful — not  in  the  military  way,  for  no  men  in  the 
world  could  fight  better  than  the  Russians  are  doing, — but 
the  army  fears,  above  all  things,  that  peace  will  be  made 
before  it  has  an  opportunity  of  wiping  out,  what  it  considers 
its  disgrace,  in  allowing  the  French  to  overrun  so  many  rich 
provinces  without  striking  a  blow. 

"  In  point  of  fact,  the  defence  of  Smolensk,  and  the  way  in 
which  some  20,000  men  yesterday  withstood  for  hours  the 
assault  of  three  or  four  times  their  number,  would  be  sufficient 
to  prove  to  the  world  their  fighting  qualities.  In  my  own 
mind,  I  consider  that  Barclay  has  acted  wisely  in  declining  to 
hazard  the  whole  fortune  of  the  war  upon  a  single  battle 
against  an  enemy  which,  from  the  first,  has  outnumbered  him 
nearly  threefold,  but  he  should  never  have  taken  up  his  posi- 
tion on  the  frontier  if  he  did  not  mean  to  defend  it.  Any 
other  army  than  this  would  have  become  a  disorganized 
rabble  long  ago.  There  is  nothing  so  trying  to  troops  as  to 
march  for  weeks  hotly  chased  by  an^enemy.  Three  times  in 
the  Peninsula  we  have  seen  what  a  British  army  becomes  under 


210  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

far  less  trying  circumstances.  If  the  Russians  did  but  know 
it,  this  retreat  of  theirs,  and  the  admirable  manner  in  which 
they  have  maintained  their  discipline,  is  as  creditable  as  win- 
ning a  great  victory  would  be ;  still  one  can  understand  that  the 
sight  of  this  flying  population,  the  deserted  fields,  this  sur- 
render of  provinces  to  an  enemy,  is  mortifying  in  the  highest 
degree  to  their  pride. 

"  Nevertheless,  Barclay's  policy,  though  I  think  it  has  been 
carried  a  great  deal  too  far — for  with  troops  who  will  fight  as 
ours  did  yesterday  he  might  have  fought  a  dozen  battles  like 
that  of  Loubino,  and  would  have  compelled  the  French  to 
advance  slowly  instead  of  in  hot  pursuit — has  been  justified 
to  a  great  extent.  From  all  I  hear,  the  invading  army  has 
already  suffered  very  great  losses  from  fever  and  hardship,  the 
effect  of  the  weather,  and  from  the  number  of  stragglers  who 
have  been  cut  off  and  killed  by  the  peasantry.  Their  trans- 
port has  especially  suffered,  vast  numbers  of  their  horses 
having  died  ;  and  in  a  campaign  like  this,  transport  is  every- 
thing. In  the  various  fights  that  have  taken  place  since  they 
entered  Russia,  they  have  probably  suffered  a  heavier  loss 
than  the  Russians,  as  the  latter  have  always  fought  on  the 
defensive ;  and  the  French  loss  has  fallen  on  Napoleon's  best 
troops,  while  the  Russian  army  is  all  equally  good. 

"Lastly,  although  the  Russians  are  discontented  at  their 
continued  retreat,  their  morale  does  not  seem  to  have  suffered 
in  any  way,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  long  marches,  the  ina- 
bility to  bring  on  a  general  engagement,  the  distance  from 
home,  and  the  uncertainty  about  the  future  has  told  heavily 
upon  that  of  the  French,  who  are  vastly  more  susceptible  to 
matters  of  this  kind  than  are  the  Russians.  You  will  remain 
with  the  headquarter  staff,  and  I  wish  you,  while  I  am  away, 
to  obtain  accurate  details  of  the  movements  of  the  various 
columns,  and  to  write  a  full  report  every  evening  of  the  march 
and  of  all  matters  of  interest.  I  do  not  want  you  to  forward 


WITH    THE    RUSSIAN    ARMY  211 

these  to  me,  but  to  keep  them  for  future  reference.  I  hope  to 
rejoin  before  any  further  fighting  takes  place." 

Sir  Robert  reached  St.  Petersburg  on  the  24th  of  August, 
but  it  was  not  until  ten  days  later  that  he  saw  the  Emperor, 
who  had  gone  with  Lord  Cathcart,  the  British  Ambassador, 
to  meet  the  King  of  Sweden,  and  to  conclude  the  negotiations 
that  secured  his  co-operation.  The  information  that  General 
Wilson  had  brought  of  the  admirable  behaviour  of  the  army 
did  much  to  allay  the  alarm  that  prevailed  in  St.  Petersburg, 
and,  after  dining  with  the  Emperor  on  the  evening  of  the  ar- 
rival of  the  latter  at  his  capital,  he  had  a  long  private  inter- 
view with  him.  The  Emperor  had  already  been  made  ac- 
quainted with  the  dissatisfaction  in  the  army,  and  Marshal 
Kutusow  had  been  sent  to  replace  General  Barclay,  and  he  asked 
Sir  Robert  whether  he  thought  the  new  commander  would  be 
able  to  restore  subordination  and  confidence  in  the  army.  Sir 
Robert  replied  that  he  had  met  the  marshal,  and  had  informed 
him  of  the  exact  state  of  things  there  :  that  the  latter  had  con- 
jured him  to  acquaint  the  Emperor  with  the  fullest  details,  and 
in  accordance  with  that  request,  and  in  order  to  prevent  his 
Majesty  having  the  pain  of  hearing  it  from  the  lips  of  one  of 
his  own  subjects — who  perhaps  would  be  less  able  to  convince 
him  of  the  intense  feeling  of  loyalty  to  himself  that  still  pre- 
vailed— he  had  consented  to  be  the  mouthpiece  of  the  generals 
of  the  army.  He  then  reported  to  him  the  interviews  that  he 
had  had  with  the  general  officers,  suppressing  the  names  of  those 
present,  and  the  message  they  had  desired  him  to  deliver. 

The  Emperor  was  greatly  moved.  However,  the  manner  in 
which  the  general  fulfilled  the  mission  with  which  he  was 
charged,  and  his  assurances  that  the  act  of  seeming  insubordi- 
nation and  defiance  of  the  imperial  authority  was  in  no  way 
directed  against  him,  but  against  his  advisers,  whom  they  be- 
lieved to  be  acting  in  the  interests  of  Napoleon,  had  their 
effect,  and  the  Emperor  promised  to  give  the  matter  every  con- 


212  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

sideration,  and  to  answer  him  definitely  on  the  following  day. 
At  the  next  meeting  he  gave  Sir  Robert  his  authority  to  assure 
the  army  of  his  determination  to  continue  the  war  against 
Napoleon  while  a  Frenchman  remained  in  arms  on  Russian 
soil,  and  that,  if  the  worst  came  to  the  worst,  he  would  re- 
move his  family  far  into  the  interior,  and  make  any  sacrifice 
rather  than  break  that  engagement.  At  the  same  time,  while 
he  could  not  submit  to  dictation  in  the  matter  of  his  minis- 
ters, he  could  assure  them  that  these  should  in  no  way  influence 
him  to  break  this  promise. 

During  Sir  Robert's  stay  in  St.  Petersburg  the  Emperor 
took  every  occasion  to  show  him  marked  favour,  as  if  anxious 
to  assure  those  whose  views  Sir  Robert  had  represented,  that 
he  was  in  no  way  displeased  with  them  for  the  attitude  they 
had  assumed ;  and  upon  his  leaving  to  rejoin  the  army  the 
Emperor  directed  him  to  repeat  in  the  most  formal  manner 
his  declaration  that  he  would  not  enter  into  or  permit  any 
negotiations  with  Napoleon  ;  and  added  that  he  would  sooner 
let  his  beard  grow  to  his  waist,  and  eat  potatoes  in  Siberia. 

Frank  had  been  active  during  the  battle  of  Loubino.  Sir 
Robert  Wilson  had  taken  up  his  post  with  Touchkoff  during 
the  action  which  was  so  desperately  fought  to  cover  the  retreat 
of  the  main  army,  and  Frank  had  acted  as  aide-de-camp,  and, 
having  carried  orders  to  various  parts  of  the  field,  had  excel- 
lent opportunities  of  seeing  the  whole  of  the  battle ;  and  the 
Russian  general  in  making  his  report  of  the  engagement  had 
mentioned  his  name  among  those  who  had  rendered  distin- 
guished services.  His  horse  had  been  shot  under  him,  his 
cap  had  been  carried  away  by  a  bullet,  and  he  had  received  a 
slight  flesh  wound  in  his  leg.  Although  this  was  of  small 
consequence,  it  had  caused  the  insertion  of  his  name  among 
those  of  the  officers  wounded  in  the  battle.  He  was  to  see  no 
more  fighting  for  a  time ;  for,  although  the  army  of  Wittgen- 
stein fought  two  or  three  severe  actions  with  the  divisions  of 


BORODINO  213 

St.  Cyr  and  Oudinot,  the  main  army  fell  back  without  again 
fighting  until  it  took  up  the  position  that  Marshal  Kutusow 
had  selected  for  giving  battle. 


CHAPTER    XII 

BORODINO 

OARBAROUSLY  as  the  French  army  behaved  on  its  ad- 
L)  vance  to  Smolensk,  things  were  even  worse  as  they  left 
the  ruined  town  behind  them  and  resumed  their  journey 
towards  Moscow.  It  seemed  that  the  hatred  with  which  they 
were  regarded  by  the  Russian  peasantry  was  now  even  more 
than  reciprocated.  The  destruction  they  committed  was 
wanton  and  wholesale  ;  the  villages,  and  even  the  towns, 
were  burnt  down,  and  the  whole  country  made  desolate.  It 
was  nothing  to  them  that  by  so  doing  they  added  enormously 
to  the  difficulties  of  their  own  commissariat ;  nothing  that 
they  were  destroying  the  places  where  they  might  otherwise 
have  found  shelter  on  their  return.  They  seemed  to  destroy 
simply  for  the  sake  of  destruction,  and  to  be  animated  by  a 
burning  feeling  of  hatred  for  the  country  they  had  invaded. 

Since  the  days  of  the  thirty  years'  war  in  Germany,  never 
had  war  been  carried  on  in  Europe  so  mercilessly  and  so  de- 
structively. '  As  he  saw  the  ruined  homes  or  passed  the  bodies 
of  peasants  wantonly  shot  down,  Julian  Wyatt  regretted  bit- 
terly that  he  had  not  been  content  to  remain  a  prisoner  at 
Verdun.  Battles  he  had  expected  ;  but  this  destruction  of 
property,  this  warring  upon  peaceful  inhabitants,  filled  him 
with  horror ;  his  high  spirits  left  him,  and  he  no  longer 
laughed  and  jested  on  the  march,  but  kept  on  the  way  in  the 
same  gloomy  silence  that  reigned  among  the  greater  part  of 
his  companions.  When  half  way  to  Moscow  a  fresh  cause  of 


214  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

uneasiness  manifested  itself.  The  Russians  no  longer  left 
their  towns  and  villages  for  the  French  to  plunder  and  burn, 
but,  as  they  retreated,  themselves  applied  fire  to  all  the  houses, 
with  a  thoroughness  and  method  which  showed  that  this  was 
not  the  work  of  stragglers  or  camp-followers,  but  that  it  was 
the  result  of  a  settled  plan.  At  last  news  came  that  the  Rus- 
sians had  resolved  to  fight  a  pitched  battle  at  Borodino,  and 
the  spirits  of  the  army  at  once  rose. 

Napoleon  halted  them  for  two  days,  in  order  that  they  might 
rest  and  receive  provisions  from  the  baggage  trains  following. 
On  the  4th  of  September  they  marched  forward  as  before,  in 
three  columns,  preceded  by  Murat's  cavalry,  which  brushed 
aside  the  hordes  of  Cossack  horse.  Half-way  to  Gratz,  a  Rus- 
sian division  stoutly  held  for  some  time  a  height  up  which  the 
road  wound,  but  after  some  sharp  fighting  was  forced  to  re- 
treat. 

The  Russian  position  at  Borodino  was  a  strong  one.  The 
right  was  covered  by  the  rivulet  of  Kolocza,  which  was  every- 
where fordable,  but  ran  through  a  deep  ravine.  Borodino,  a 
village  on  the  banks  of  this  rivulet,  formed  their  centre,  and 
their  left  was  posted  upon  steeply  rising  ground,  almost  at  right 
angles  with  their  right.  Borodino  itself — which  lay  on  the 
northern  side  of  the  Kolocza — was  not  intended  to  be  held  in 
force.  The  rivulet  fell  into  the  river  Moskwa  half  a  mile  be- 
yond Borodino.  Field-works  had  been  thrown  up  at  several 
points,  and  near  the  centre  were  two  strong  redoubts  com- 
manding Borodino  and  the  high-road.  Other  strong  works 
had  been  erected  at  important  points. 

Considerably  in  advance  of  the  general  line  of  the  position 
a  strong  work  had  been  erected  ;  this  it  was  necessary  to  take 
before  the  main  position  could  be  attacked,  and  at  two  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  5th,  Napoleon  directed  an  assault  to  be  made 
upon  this  redoubt.  It  was  obstinately  held  by  the  Russians. 
They  were  several  times  driven  out.  but,  as  often,  reinforce- 


BORODINO  215 

ments  came  up,  and  it  was  captured  by  them  ;  and  finally, 
after  holding  it  until  nightfall,  they  fell  back  to  their  main 
position,  the  loss  having  been  heavy  on  both  sides.  The  next 
day  was  spent  by  Napoleon  in  reconnoitring  the  Russian  posi- 
tion and  deciding  the  plan  of  attack.  Finally  he  determined 
to  make  a  strong  demonstration  against  the  village  of  Borodino, 
and,  under  cover  of  this,  to  launch  his  whole  army  upon  the 
Russian  left  wing.  On  the  morning  of  the  yth,  Napoleon 
posted  himself  on  an  eminence  near  the  village  of  Chewar- 
dino.  Near  the  spot,  earthworks  were  thrown  up  during  the 
night  for  the  protection  of  three  batteries,  each  of  twenty-four 
guns.  Davoust  and  Ney  were  to  make  a  direct  attack  on  the 
enemy's  left.  Poniatowski  was  to  endeavour  to  march  through 
the  woods  and  gain  the  rear  of  the  Russian  position.  The  rest 
of  the  force  were  to  keep  the  Russian  centre  and  right  in  check. 
The  Imperial  Guard  formed  the  reserve. 

On  the  Russian  side  Bagration's  army  formed  the  left,  Ben- 
ingsen's  the  centre,  and  Barclay's  the  right.  The  French  force 
numbered  about  150,000,  the  Russian  from  80,000  to  90,000. 
The  French  had  a  thousand  guns,  the  Russians  640.  At  six  in 
the  morning  of  the  yth  of  September  the  French  batteries 
opened  fire  along  the  whole  line,  and  the  Russians  at  once  re- 
plied. The  roar  of  artillery  was  incessant,  and  ere  long  the 
rattle  of  musketry  swelled  the  din,  as  Davoust  launched  the 
division  of  Desaix,  and  Ney  that  of  Campans,  against  three 
small  redoubts  in  front  of  the  Russian  position.  Impetuous  as 
was  the  assault,  the  Russians  received  it  with  unflinching  cour- 
age ;  two  of  the  Russian  generals  were  wounded,  but  the  as- 
sault was  repulsed.  Ney  moved  up  another  division,  and  after 
severe  fighting  the  redoubts  were  carried.  They  were  held, 
however,  but  a  short  time,  for  Woronzow  led  forward  his 
grenadiers  in  solid  squares,  and,  supporting  the  advance  by  a 
charge  of  cavalry,  recaptured  them,  and  drove  the  French  back 
across  the  ravine  in  front  of  them. 


216  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

There  was  now  a  short  pause  in  the  attack,  but  the  roar  of 
artillery  and  musketry  continued  unbroken.  Poniatowski  now 
emerged  from  the  wood,  and  fell  upon  the  Russian  left  rear, 
capturing  the  village  of  Outitska.  Touchkoff,  a  brother  of 
the  general  who  had  been  captured  at  Loubino,  who  com- 
manded here,  fell  back  to  a  height  that  dominated  the  village 
and  the  ground  beyond  it,  and  maintained  himself  until  mid- 
day. On  the  French  left,  where  the  Viceroy  Beauharnois 
commanded,  the  advance  was  stubbornly  opposed,  and  the 
French  artillery  was  several  times  silenced  by  the  guns  on  the 
eminence.  At  last,  however,  the  Russians  were  driven  across 
the  rivulet,  and  the  French  occupied  Borodino.  Leaving  a 
division  of  infantry  to  protect  his  rear,  the  Viceroy  crossed 
the  stream  and  advanced  against  a  great  battery  in  front  of 
the  village  of  Gorki.  Davoust  and  Ney  remained  motionless 
until  nine  o'clock,  as  Napoleon  would  not  forward  the  rein- 
forcements they  had  asked  for  until  he  learned  that  Poniatow- 
ski had  come  into  action,  and  that  the  Viceroy  had  crossed 
the  stream  and  was  moving  to  the  attack  of  the  Russian  centre. 
Now,  reinforced  by  the  division  of  Friant,  they  moved  for- 
ward. 

For  an  hour  the  Russians  held  their  advanced  works,  and 
then  were  forced  to  fall  back  ;  and  the  French,  following  up 
their  advantage,  crossed  a  ravine  and  occupied  the  village  of 
Semianotsky,  which  had  been  partially  destroyed  on  the  pre- 
vious day  by  the  Russians,  so  that  if  captured  it  would  afford 
no  cover  to  the  French.  It  was  but  for  a  short  time  that  the 
latter  held  it.  Coming  up  at  the  head  of  his  grenadiers, 
Touchkoff  drove  them  out,  recrossed  the  ravine,  and  recapt- 
ured the  advance  works  they  had  before  so  obstinately  con- 
tested. In  turn  the  French  retook  the  three  redoubts;  but, 
again,  a  Russian  division  coming  up  wrested  the  position  from 
them,  and  replanted  their  flag  there.  Napoleon,  seeing  that 
no  impression  could  be  made  on  the  Russian  left,  now  sent 


BORODINO  217 

orders  to  the  Viceroy  to  carry  the  great  redoubt  before  Gorki. 
In  spite  of  the  difficulties  presented  by  the  broken  ground,  the 
three  French  divisions  pressed  forward  with  the  greatest  gal- 
lantry, and,  heedless  of  the  storm  of  grape  poured  upon  them, 
stormed  the  redoubt.  But  its  late  defenders,  reinforced  by 
some  battalions  from  Doctorow's  corps,  dashed  forward  to 
recover  the  position,  and  fell  with  such  fury  upon  the  French 
that  the  regiment  that  had  entered  the  redoubt  was  all  but 
annihilated,  and  the  position  regained,  while  at  the  same  mo- 
ment two  regiments  of  Russian  cavalry  fell  upon  reinforce- 
ments pressing  forward  to  aid  the  defenders,  and  threw  them 
into  disorder. 

The  Viceroy  now  opened  fire  on  the  redoubt  with  all  his 
artillery,  inflicting  such  loss  upon  the  defenders  that  it  was 
soon  necessary  to  relieve  them  with  a  fresh  division.  Ney, 
finding  it  impossible  to  carry  and  hold  the  three  redoubts  in 
front  of  him,  directed  Junot  to  endeavour  to  force  his  way 
between  the  main  Russian  left  and  TouchkofTs  division  ;  but 
he  was  met  by  Prince  Eugene's  Russian  corps,  which  brought 
his  advance  to  a  standstill.  Junot's  presence  there,  however, 
acted  as  a  support  to  Poniatowski,  who,  covered  by  the  fire  of 
forty  pieces  of  cannon,  advanced  against  Touchkoffs  division. 
For  a  time  he  gained  ground,  but  the  Russian  general,  bring- 
ing up  all  his  troops,  assumed  the  offensive,  and,  driving 
Poniatowski  back,  recovered  the  lost  ground.  The  brave 
Russian  leader,  however,  was  mortally  wounded  in  the  fight. 
It  was  now  twelve  o'clock,  and  so  far  the  French  had  gained 
no  advantage.  Napoleon  felt  the  necessity  for  a  decisive 
effort,  and  concentrating  his  whole  force,  and  posting  400 
guns  to  cover  the  advance,  sent  it  forward  against  the  Russian 
left. 

The  Russians,  perceiving  the  magnitude  of  the  movement, 
despatched  large  reinforcements  to  the  defenders,  and  at  the 
same  time,  to  effect  a  diversion,  sent  the  greater  portion  of 


218  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

their  cavalry  round  to  menace  the  French  rear  at  Borodino. 
Three  hundred  Russian  guns  opposed  the  four  hundred  of  the 
French,  and  amidst  the  tremendous  roar  of  the  guns,  the  great 
mass  of  French  infantry  hurled  themselves  upon  the  Russians. 
For  a  time  no  impression  could  be  made,  so  sternly  and  fiercely 
did  the  Russians  fight,  but  Bagration,  their  commander,  with 
several  other  generals,  were  badly  wounded  and  forced  to  re- 
tire. Konownitsyn  assumed  the  command,  but  the  loss  of  the 
general,  in  whom  they  placed  implicit  confidence,  told  upon 
the  spirits  of  his  troops,  and  Konownitsyn  was  forced  to 
abandon  the  three  redoubts,  and  to  take  up  a  new  position 
behind  Semianotsky,  where  he  re-established  his  batteries  and 
checked  the  progress  of  the  enemy. 

A  portion  of  the  French  cavalry  now  made  a  desperate  at- 
tempt to  break  through  the  Russian  left,  but  two  regiments  of 
the  Imperial  Guard,  throwing  themselves  into  squares,  main- 
tained their  position  until  five  regiments  of  Russian  cuirassiers 
came  up  and  forced  their  assailants  back.  At  this  critical 
moment  the  great  mass  of  Russian  cavalry  that  had  been  sent 
round  to  attack  the  Viceroy  fell  upon  his  rear,  drove  his  cav- 
alry into  the  village  with  great  loss,  and  pressed  the  infantry 
so  hard  that  the  Viceroy  himself  had  to  take  refuge  in  one  of 
his  squares.  Having  thus  succeeded  in  distracting  the  enemy's 
attention,  arresting  his  tide  of  battle,  and  giving  time  to  the 
Russians  to  reform  and  plant  their  batteries  afresh,  the  Rus- 
sian cavalry  withdrew.  The  Viceroy  recrossed  the  stream 
again,  and  prepared  to  make  another  attack  upon  the  great 
bastion  he  had  before  captured,  and  the  whole  line  again 
advanced.  While  the  Viceroy  attacked  the  great  redoubt  in 
front,  Murat  sent  a  division  of  his  cavalry  round  to  fall  upon 
its  rear,  and,  although  swept  by  artillery  and  infantry  fire, 
the  brave  horsemen  carried  out  their  object,  although  almost 
annihilated  by  the  fire  of  the  defenders  of  the  redoubt. 

The  French  infantry  took  advantage  of  the  attention  of  the 


BORODINO  219 

defenders  being  diverted  by  this  attack,  and  with  a  rush 
stormed  the  work ;  the  four  Russian  regiments  who  held  it 
fought  to  the  last,  refusing  all  offers  of  quarter,  and  main- 
taining a  hand-to-hand  conflict  until  annihilated.  The 
Russian  artillery,  in  the  works  round  Gorki,  swept  the  re- 
doubt with  their  fire,  and  under  its  cover  the  infantry  made 
repeated  but  vain  attacks  to  recapture  it,  for  their  desperate 
bravery  was  unavailing  against  the  tremendous  artillery  fire 
concentrated  upon  them,  while  the  French  on  their  part  were 
unable  to  take  advantage  of  the  position  they  had  gained. 
Napoleon,  indeed,  would  have  launched  his  troops  against  the 
works  round  Gorki,  but  his  generals  represented  to  him  that 
the  losses  had  already  been  so  enormous,  that  it  was  doubtful 
whether  he  could  possibly  succeed,  and  if  he  did  so,  it  could 
only  be  with  such  further  loss  as  would  cripple  the  army  alto- 
gether. 

At  three  o'clock  Napoleon,  whose  whole  army,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Imperial  Guard,  had  been  engaged,  felt  that 
nothing  farther  could  be  done  that  day,  and  ordered  the 
battle  to  cease.  He  had  gained  the  three  redoubts  on  the 
Russians'  left  and  the  great  redoubt  captured  by  the  Viceroy, 
but  these  were  really  only  advanced  works,  and  the  main 
position  of  the  Russians  still  remained  entirely  intact.  At 
night  the  French  retired  from  the  positions  they  had  won, 
to  those  they  had  occupied  before  the  battle  begun,  retaining 
possession  only  of  the  village  of  Borodino.  The  loss  of  the 
combatants  during  the  two  days'  fighting  had  been  nearly 
equal,  no  less  than  40,000  men  having  been  killed  on  each 
side,  a  number  exceeding  that  of  any  other  battle  in  modern 
times.  Napoleon  expected  that  the  Russians  would  again 
give  battle  next  morning,  but  Kutusow,  contrary  to  the 
opinion  of  most  of  his  generals,  decided  on  falling  back. 
Beningsen,  one  of  his  best  officers,  strongly  urged  him  to 
take  up  a  position  at  Kalouga,  some  seventy  miles  to  the 


220  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

south  of  Moscow.  The  position  was  a  very  strong  one. 
Napoleon  could  not  advance  against  Moscow,  which  was  in  a 
position  to  offer  a  long  and  determined  resistance,  until  he 
had  driven  off  the  Russian  army.  At  Kalouga  they  could  at 
any  moment  advance  on  to  his  line  of  communication,  cut 
off  all  his  supplies,  and  isolate  him  from  France. 

The  advice  was  excellent,  but  Kutusow,  who  was  even  more 
unfitted  than  Barclay  for  the  post  of  commander-in-chief,  re- 
fused to  adopt  this  course,  and  fell  back  towards  Moscow,  fol- 
lowed by  the  French.  The  sufferings  of  the  latter  had  already 
become  severe — the  nights  were  getting  very  cold,  the  scarcity 
of  food  was  considerable,  the  greater  part  of  the  army  was  al- 
ready subsisting  on  horse-flesh,  the  warm  clothing,  which  was 
becoming  more  and  more  necessary,  was  far  in  the  rear,  their 
shoes  were  worn  out,  and  it  was  only  the  thought  that  they 
would  have  a  long  period  of  rest  and  comfort  in  Moscow,  that 
animated  them  to  press  forward  along  the  fifty  miles  of  road 
between  Borodino  and  that  city. 

Julian  had  passed  through  the  terrible  battle  unscathed.  It 
seemed  to  him,  when  fighting  had  ceased  for  the  day,  that  it 
was  almost  miraculous  a  single  man  should  have  survived  that 
storm  of  fire.  While  the  fight  had  actually  been  going  on,  the 
excitement  and  the  ardour  of  battle  had  rendered  him  almost 
insensible  to  the  danger.  With  the  soldiers  as  with  their  gen- 
erals the  capture  of  the  three  small  redoubts  became,  as  the  day 
went  on,  a  matter  on  which  every  thought  was  bent,  every  ener- 
gy concentrated;  it  was  no  longer  a  battle  between  French  and 
Russians,  but  a  struggle  in  which  each  man  felt  that  his  person- 
al honour  was  concerned.  Each  time  that,  with  loud  cheer- 
ing, they  stormed  the  blood-stained  works,  they  felt  the  pride 
of  victory;  each  time  that,  foot  by  foot,  they  were  again 
forced  backwards,  there  was  rage  in  every  heart  and  a  fierce 
determination  to  return  and  conquer. 

In  such  a  struggle  as  this,  when  men's  passions  are  once  in- 


BORODINO  221 

volved,  death  loses  its  terror;  thickly  as  comrades  may  fall 
around,  those  who  are  still  erect  heed  not  the  gaps,  but  with 
eyes  fixed  on  the  enemy  in  front  of  him,  with  lips  set  tightly 
together,  with  head  bent  somewhat  down  as  men  who  struggle 
through  a  storm  of  rain,  each  man  presses  on  until  a  shot  strikes 
him,  or  he  reaches  the  goal  he  aims  at.  At  such  a  time  the  fire 
slackens,  for  each  man  strives  to  decide  the  struggle,  with  bay- 
onet or  clubbed  musket.  Four  times  did  Julian's  regiment 
climb  the  side  of  the  ravine  in  front  of  the  redoubts,  four 
times  were  they  hurled  back  again  with  ever-decreasing  num- 
bers, and  when  at  last  they  found  themselves,  as  the  fire  slack- 
ened, masters  of  the  position,  the  men  looked  at  each  other  as 
if  waking  from  some  terrible  dream,  filled  with  surprise  that 
they  were  still  alive  and  breathing,  and  faint  and  trembling, 
now  that  the  exertion  was  over  and  the  tremendous  strain  re- 
laxed. When  they  had  time  to  look  round,  they  saw  that 
but  one-fourth  of  those  who  had,  some  hours  before,  advanced 
to  the  attack  of  the  redoubt  of  Chewardino  remained.  The 
ground  around  the  little  earthworks  was  piled  thickly  with 
dead  Frenchmen  and  Russians,  and  ploughed  up  by  the  iron 
storm  that  had  for  eight  hours  swept  across  it.  Dismounted 
guns,  ammunition  boxes,  muskets,  and  accoutrements  were 
scattered  everywhere.  Even  the  veterans  of  a  hundred  battles 
had  never  witnessed  such  a  scene,  had  never  gone  through  so 
prolonged  and  terrible  a  struggle.  Men  were  differently  af- 
fected, some  shook  a  comrade's  hand  with  silent  pressure,  some 
.stood  gazing  sternly  and  fixedly  at  the  lines  where  the  enemy 
still  stood  unconquered,  and  tears  fell  down  many  a  bronzed 
and  battle-worn  face  ;  some  sobbed  like  children,  exhausted  by 
their  emotions  rather  than  their  labours. 

The  loss  of  the  officers  had  been  prodigious.  Eight  gene- 
rals were  killed  and  thirty  wounded,  and  nearly  two  thousand 
officers.  The  colonel  and  majors  of  Julian's  regiment  had 
fallen,  and  a  captain,  who  was  but  sixth  on  the  list  when  the 


222  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

battle  began,  now  commanded.  Between  three  o'clock  and 
dusk  the  men  were  engaged  in  binding  up  each  other's  wounds, 
eating  what  food  they  carried  in  their  haversacks,  and  search- 
ing for  more  in  those  of  the  fallen.  Few  words  were  spoken, 
and  even  when  the  order  came  to  evacuate  the  position  and 
retire  to  the  ground  they  had  left  that  morning,  there  was  not 
a  murmur ;  for  the  time  no  one  seemed  to  care  what  happened, 
or  what  became  of  him.  Once  on  the  ground  where  they  were 
to  bivouac,  fresh  life  was  infused  into  their  veins.  The  chill 
evening  air  braced  up  their  nerves  ;  great  fires  were  lighted 
with  brushwood,  broken  cartridge-boxes,  and  the  fragments 
of  gun-carriages  and  waggons  ;  and  water  was  brought  up  from 
the  stream.  Horse-flesh  was  soon  being  roasted,  and  as  hunger 
and  thirst  were  appeased,  the  buzz  of  conversation  rose  round 
the  fires,  and  the  minds  as  well  as  the  tongues  of  men  seemed 
to  thaw  from  their  torpor. 

"  Well,  comrade,  so  you  too  have  gone  through  it  without 
a  scratch,"  Julian's  friend,  the  sergeant,  said  to  him.  "  Well, 
you  will  never  see  such  a  fight  again  if  you  grow  gray  in  the 
service.  Where  are  those  who  scoffed  at  the  Russians  now  ? 
They  can  fight,  these  men.  It  was  a  battle  of  giants.  No  one 
could  have  done  more  than  we  did,  and  yet  they  did  as  much  ; 
but  to-morrow  we  shall  win." 

"What!  do  you  think  we  shall  fight  again  to-mor- 
row?" 

"  That  is  for  the  Russians  to  say,  not  for  us.  If  they  stand 
we  must  fight  them  again.  It  is  a  matter  of  life  and  death  for 
us  to  get  to  Moscow.  We  shall  win  to-morrow,  for  Napoleon 
will  have  to  bring  up  the  Imperial  Guard,  20,000  of  his  best 
troops,  and  the  Russians  put  their  last  man  into  the  line  of 
battle  to-day,  and,  never  fear,  we  shall  win.  But  I  own  I 
have  had  enough  of  it.  Never  before  have  I  hoped  that  the 
enemy  in  front  of  us  would  go  off  without  a  battle,  but  I  do 
so  now.  We  want  rest  and  quiet.  When  spring  comes  we 


BORODINO  223 

will  fight  them  again  as  often  as  they  like,  but  until  then  I  for 
one  do  not  wish  to  hear  a  gun  fired." 

"I  am  sure  I  do  not,  sergeant,"  Julian  agreed;  ''and  I 
only  hope  that  we  shall  get  peace  and  quiet  when  we  reach 
Moscow." 

"  Oh,  the  Russians  will  be  sure  to  send  in  to  ask  for  terms 
of  peace  as  soon  as  we  get  there,"  the  sergeant  said  confi- 
dently. 

"  I  hope  so,  but  I  have  great  doubts,  sergeant.  When 
people  are  ready  to  burn  their  homes  rather  than  that  we  should 
occupy  them,  to  desert  all  that  they  have  and  to  wander  away 
they  know  not  where,  when  they  will  fight  as  they  fought  to- 
day, I  have  great  doubts  whether  they  will  talk  of  surrender. 
They  can  bring  up  fresh  troops  long  before  we  can.  They 
will  have  no  lack  of  provisions.  Their  country  is  so  vast  that 
they  know  that  at  most  we  can  hold  but  a  small  portion  of  it. 
It  seems  to  me  that  it  is  not  of  surrender  they  will  be  think- 
ing, but  of  bringing  up  fresh  troops  from  every  part  of  their 
empire,  of  drilling  and  organizing  and  preparing  for  the  next 
campaign.  I  cannot  help  thinking  of  what  would  happen  to 
us  if  they  burnt  Moscow,  as  they  have  burned  half  a  dozen 
towns  already." 

"No  people  ever  made  such  a  sacrifice.  What,  burn  the 
city  they  consider  sacred  ! — the  old  capital  every  Russian 
thinks  of  with  pride  !  It  never  can  be,  but  if  they  should 
do  so,  all  I  can  say  is,  God  help  us  all.  Few  of  us  would  ever 
go  back  to  France." 

"  So  it  seems  to  me,  sergeant.  I  have  been  thinking  of  it 
lately,  and  after  the  way  in  which  the  Russians  came  on, 
careless  of  life,  under  the  fire  of  our  cannon  to-day,  I  can  be- 
lieve them  to  be  capable  of  anything." 

The  next  morning  it  was  found  that  the  Russian  lines  were 
deserted.  So  the  French  army  set  forward  again  on  its  march, 
and  on  the  morning  of  the  i4th  arrived  within  sight  of  Mos- 


224  THROUGH    RUSSIAN   SNOWS 

cow.  Kutusow  had  at  one  time  seemed  disposed  to  fight 
another  battle  in  front  of  the  city,  and  had  given  a  solemn 
promise  to  its  governor  that  he  should  have  three  days'  notice 
of  any  change  in  his  determination,  and  so  allow  time  for  him 
to  carry  out  his  intention  to  evacuate  the  town,  when  the 
municipal  authorities  were,  methodically  and  officially,  to  pro- 
ceed to  destroy  the  whole  city  by  fire.  This  promise  Kutu- 
sow broke  without  giving  any  notice  whatever.  On  the  i3th, 
at  a  council  of  war,  he  overruled  the  objections  of  his  generals, 
and  determined  to  retreat,  his  arguments  being  that  the  ground 
was  unsuited  for  defensive  operations  ;  that  the  defeat  of  the 
one  disciplined  army  would  endanger  the  final  success  of  the 
war ;  and  that  it  was  for  Russia,  not  for  any  one  city,  they 
were  fighting. 

The  argument  was  not  without  reason ;  but,  if  he  had  re- 
solved not  to  fight  again,  he  should  have  accepted  the  advice 
to  take  up  a  position  on  Napoleon's  flank.  Had  he  done 
this,  the  French  could  have  made  no  advance,  and  Moscow 
would  have  been  saved  from  destruction. 

As  the  army  began  its  passage  through  the  capital  the 
exodus  of  the  inhabitants  commenced.  Already  the  wealthier 
classes  had  removed  their  effects,  and  the  merchants  the  greater 
part  of  their  goods.  Now  the  whole  population  poured  out 
into  the  streets,  and  thousands  of  carts  and  vehicles  of  all  de- 
scriptions, packed  closely  with  household  furniture,  goods, 
and  effects  of  all  kinds,  moved  towards  the  gates.  Out  of 
200,000  inhabitants  180,000  left  the  city,  with  65,000  vehi- 
cles of  every  kind.  In  addition  to  these  were  enormous 
quantities  of  fugitives  from  every  town  and  village  west  of 
Smolensk,  who  had  hitherto  accompanied  the  army,  moving 
through  the  fields  and  lanes,  so  as  to  leave  the  roads  unen- 
cumbered for  the  passage  of  the  guns  and  trains. 

Every  Russian  peasant  possesses  a  roughly-made  cart  on  two 
or  four  wheels,  and  as  their  belongings  were  very  scanty, 


BORODINO  225 

these,  as  a  rule,  sufficed  to  hold  all  their  property.  The 
greater  portion  of  the  fugitives  had  passed  out  of  the  city  at 
two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  shortly  afterwards  Murat 
with  his  cavalry  passed  across  the  river  by  a  ford  and  entered 
the  town.  A  few  desperate  men  left  behind  opened  fire,  but 
were  speedily  overpowered  and  killed,  but  a  number  of  citi- 
zens, mad  with  fury,  rushed  so  furiously  upon  Murat  and  his 
staff,  that  he  was  obliged  to  open  fire  upon  them  with  a  couple 
of  light  guns. 

At  three  o'clock  Napoleon  arrived  with  his  guards,  expect- 
ing to  be  met  on  his  arrival  by  the  authorities  of  the  city 
with  assurances  of  their  submission  and  prayers  for  clemency 
for  the  population.  He  was  astounded  with  the  silence  that 
reigned  everywhere,  and  at  hearing  that  Moscow  had  been 
evacuated  by  the  population.  Full  of  gloomy  anticipations 
he  proceeded  to  the  house  Murat  had  selected  for  him.  Strict 
orders  were  issued  against  pillage,  and  the  army  bivouacked 
outside  the  city.  The  troops,  however,  were  not  to  lie  re- 
strained, and  as  soon  as  it  was  dark  stole  a\vay  and  entered 
the  town  in  large  numbers  and  began  the  work  of  pillage. 
Scarcely  had  they  entered  when  in  various  quarters  fires  broke 
out  suddenly.  The  bazaar,  with  its  ten  thousand  shops,  the 
crown  magazines  of  forage,  wines,  brandy,  military  stores, 
and  gunpowder  were  speedily  wrapped  in  flames.  There  were 
no  means  of  combating  the  fire,  for  every  bucket  in  the  town 
had  been  removed  by  the  orders  of  the  governor. 

Many  a  tale  of  strange  experience  in  all  parts  of  Europe  was 
told  around  the  camp-fires  of  the  grenadiers  of  the  Rhone  that 
evening.  Several  of  the  younger  men  had  been  among  those 
who  had  gone  into  Moscow  in  search  of  plunder.  They  had 
returned  laden  with  goods  of  all  sorts,  and  but  few  without  a 
keg  of  spirits.  The  colonel  had  foreseen  this,  and  had  called 
the  sergeants  together. 

"  My  braves,"  he  said,  "  I  am  not  going  to  punish  anyone 


226  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

for  breaking  orders  to-night.  If  I  had  been  carrying  a  musket 
myself  I  have  no  doubt  that  I  should  have  been  one  of  those 
to  have  gone  into  the  town.  After  such  a  march  as  we  have 
had  here,  it  is  only  natural  that  men  should  think  that  they  are 
entitled  to  some  fun ;  but  there  must  be  no  drunkenness.  I 
myself  shall  be  at  the  quarter-guard,  and  six  of  you  will  be  there 
with  me.  Every  bottle  of  spirits  brought  in  is  to  be  confis- 
cated. You  will  take  it  in  your  charge,  and  serve  out  a  good 
ration  to  every  man  in  the  regiment,  so  that  those  who  have 
done  their  duty  and  remained  in  camp  shall  fare  as  well  as  those 
who  have  broken  out.  I  have  no  doubt  there  will  be  sufficient 
brought  in  for  all.  What  remains  over,  you  can  serve  out  as  a 
ration  to-morrow.  It  is  good  to  be  merry,  but  it  is  not  good 
to  be  drunk.  The  grenadiers  have  done  their  share  of  fighting 
and  deserve  their  share  of  plunder,  but  do  not  let  pleasure  go 
beyond  the  line  of  duty.  Give  a  good  ration  to  each  man, 
enough  to  enjoy  the  evening,  and  to  celebrate  our  capture  of 
Moscow,  but  not  enough  to  make  them  noisy.  It  is  like 
enough  that  the  general  will  be  round  to-night  to  see  how 
things  are  going  on,  and  I  should  wish  him  to  see  us  enjoying 
ourselves  reasonably.  Anything  else  that  is  brought  in,  with 
the  exception  of  spirits,  can  be  kept  by  the  men,  unless  of 
course  there  is  a  general  order  issued  that  all  plunder  is  to  be 
given  up." 

As  fully  half  the  regiment  were  away,  and  as  every  man 
brought  back  one  or  more  bottles  or  kegs  of  spirits,  the  amount 
collected  at  the  quarter-guard  was  very  considerable.  Those 
of  the  men  who,  on  coming  back,  showed  any  signs  of  in- 
toxication were  not  allowed  a  share,  but  half  a  litre  of  spirits  was 
served  out  to  every  other  man  in  the  regiment ;  and  although  a 
few  of  those  who  had  brought  it  in  grumbled,  the  colonel's  de- 
cision gave  general  satisfaction,  and  there  were  merry  groups 
round  the  bivouac  fires. 

"  I  have  marched  into  a  good  many  capitals,"  the  old  ser- 


BORODINO  227 

geant  said.  "  I  was  with  the  first  company  that  entered 
Madrid.  I  could  never  make  out  the  Spaniards.  At  one  time 
they  are  ready  to  wave  their  hats  and  shout  "  Viva  !  "  till  they 
are  hoarse.  At  another,  cutting  your  throat  is  too  good  for 
you.  One  town  will  open  its  gates  and  treat  you  as  their 
dearest  friends,  the  next  will  fight  like  fiends  and  not  give  in 
till  you  have  carried  the  last  house  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 
I  was  fond  of  a  glass  in  those  days  ;  I  am  fond  of  it  now,  but 
I  have  gained  wit  enough  to  know  when  it  is  good  to  drink. 
I  had  a  sharp  lesson,  and  I  took  it  to  heart." 

"Tell  us  about  it,  comrade,"  Julian  said. 

"  Well  it  was  after  Talavera.  We  had  fought  a  hard  battle 
there  with  the  English,  and  found  them  rough  customers. 
The  Spaniards  bolted  like  sheep.  As  soldiers,  they  are  the 
most  contemptible  curs  in  the  world.  They  fought  well 
enough  in  the  mountains  under  their  own  leaders,  but  as 
soldiers,  why,  our  regiment  would  thrash  an  army  of  15,000 
of  them.  The  English  were  on  the  top  of  the  hill — at  least  at 
the  beginning  there  were  a  few  of  them  up  there,  and  we  thought 
that  it  would  be  an  easy  job  to  drive  them  off,  but  more  came 
up,  and  do  what  we  would,  we  could  not  manage  it ;  so  it 
ended  with  something  like  a  drawn  battle.  We  claimed  the  vic- 
tory, because  they  fell  back  the  next  morning,  and  they  claimed 
it  because  they  had  repulsed  all  our  attacks.  However,  we 
reaped  the  benefit ;  they  really  fell  back,  because  those  rascally 
Spaniards  they  were  fighting  for,  starved  them ;  and,  besides 
that,  we  had  two  other  divisions  marching  to  interpose  between 
them  and  Portugal,  and  that  old  fox  Wellington  saw  that  un- 
less he  went  off  as  fast  as  he  could,  he  would  be  caught  in  a 
trap. 

"  They  got  a  good  start  of  us,  but  we  followed,  and  three 
nights  after  Talavera  two  companies  of  us  were  quartered  for 
the  night  in  the  village  right  out  on  the  flank  of  the  line  we 
were  following.  Well,  I  got  hold  of  a  skin  of  as  good  wine  as 


228  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

ever  I  drank.  Two  or  three  of  us  stole  out  to  enjoy  it  quiet- 
ly and  comfortably,  and  so  thoroughly  did  we  do  it,  that  I 
suppose  I  somehow  mistook  my  way  back  to  my  quarters, 
wandered  aside,  and  then  lay  down  to  sleep.  I  must  have 
slept  soundly,  for  I  heard  neither  bugle  nor  drum.  When  I 
awoke  the  sun  was  high,  and  there  was  a  group  of  ugly-look- 
ing Spaniards  standing  near  me.  I  tried  to  jump  up  on  to  my 
feet,  but  found  that  my  arms  and  legs  were  both  tied.  How- 
ever, I  managed  to  sit  up  and  looked  round.  Not  a  sign  of 
our  uniform  was  there  to  be  seen  ;  but  a  cloud  of  dust  rising 
from  the  plain,  maybe  ten  miles  away,  showed  where  the 
army  had  gone. 

"  Well,  I  gave  it  up  at  once.  A  single  French  soldier  had 
never  found  mercy  at  the  hands  of  the  Spaniards,  and  I  only 
wondered  that  they  had  not  cut  my  throat  at  once,  instead  of 
taking  the  trouble  to  fasten  me  up.  I  knew  enough  of  their 
language  to  get  along  with,  and,  putting  as  bold  a  face  as  I 
could  on  it,  I  asked  them  what  they  had  tied  me  up  for. 
They  laughed  in  an  unpleasant  sort  of  way,  And  then  went 
away.  '  Let  me  have  a  drink  of  water,'  I  said,  for  my  throat 
was  nearly  as  dry  as  a  furnace.  They  paid  no  attention,  and 
till  sunset  left  me  there  in  the  full  heat  of  the  sun.  .  By  the 
time  they  came  back  again  I  was  half  mad  with  thirst.  I  sup- 
posed then,  as  I  have  supposed  ever  since,  that  they  did  not  cut 
my  throat  at  once,  because  they  were  afraid  that  some  other 
detachment  might  come  along,  and  that  if  they  found  my  body 
or  a  pool  of  blood,  they  would,  as  like  as  not,  burn  the  village 
over  their  heads.  Anyhow  at  sunset  four  men  came,  cut  the 
ropes  from  my  feet,  and  told  me  to  follow  them.  I  said  that 
I  would  follow  willingly  enough  if  they  would  give  me  a  drink 
of  water  first,  but  that  if  they  didn't  they  might  shoot  me  if 
they  liked,  but  not  a  step  would  I  walk. 

"  They  tried  kicking  and  punching  me  with  their  guns,  but 
finding  tliat  I  was  obstinate,  one  of  them  called  to  a  woman 


BORODINO  229 

down  by  the  village  to  bring  some  water.  I  drank  pretty 
near  a  bucketful,  and  then  said  I  was  ready  to  go  on.  We 
went  up  the  hill  and  then  on  some  ten  miles  to  a  village  stand- 
ing in  the  heart  of  a  wild  country.  Here  I  was  tied  to  a  post. 
Two  of  them  wen;  away  and  returned  in  a  few  minutes  with 
a  man  they  called  El  Chico.  I  felt  before  that  I  had  not 
much  chance,  but  I  knew  now  that  I  had  none  at  all,  for  the 
name  was  well  enough  known  to  us  as  that  of  one  of  the  most 
savage  of  the  guerilla  leaders.  He  abused  me  for  ten  minutes, 
and  told  me  that  I  should  be  burnt  alive  next  morning,  in  re- 
venge for  some  misconduct  or  other  of  a  scouting  party  of  ours. 
I  pointed  out  that  as  I  was  not  one  of  that  scouting  party  it  was 
unfair  that  I  should  be  punished  for  their  misdeeds  ;  but,  of 
course,  it  was  of  no  use  arguing  with  a  ruffian  like  that,  so  he 
went  away,  leaving  me  to  my  reflections. 

"  I  stood  all  night  with  my  back  to  that  post.  Two  fellows 
with  muskets  kept  guard  over  me,  but  even  if  they  hadn't 
done  so  I  could  not  have  got  away,  for  I  was  so  tightly  bound 
that  my  limbs  were  numbed,  and  the  cords  felt  as  if  they  were 
red  hot.  In  the  morning  a  number  of  women  brought  up  fag- 
gots. El  Chico  himself  superintended  their  arrangement,  tak 
ing  care  that  they  were  placed  in  a  large  enough  circle  round 
me  that  the  flames  would  not  touch  me;  so  that,  in  fact,  I 
should  be  slowly  roasted  instead  of  burned.  I  looked  about  in 
the  vague  hope  one  always  has  that  something  might  occur  to 
save  me,  and  my  heart  gave  a  jump  when  I  saw  a  large  body 
of  men  coming  rapidly  down  a  slope  on  the  other  side  of  the 
village.  They  were  not  our  men,  I  was  sure,  but  I  could  not 
see  who  they  were  ;  anyhow  there  might  be  someone  among 
them  who  would  interpose  to  save  me  from  this  villain. 

"  Everyone  round  me  was  too  interested  in  what  was  going 
on  to  notice  anything  else  ;  and  you  may  be  sure  that  I  did 
not  look  that  way  again,  for  I  knew  well  enough  that  if  the 
guerilla  had  noticed  them  he  would  shoot  me  at  once  rather 


230  THROUGH    RUSSIAN   SNOWS 

than  run  any  risk  of  being  baulked  of  his  vengeance.  So  it 
was  not  until  they  began  to  enter  the  village  that  anyone  no- 
ticed the  new  arrivals.  A  mounted  officer,  followed  by  four 
troopers,  dashed  down  ahead  and  rode  up  to  us,  scattering  the 
crowd  right  and  left.  I  saw  at  once  by  his  uniform  that  he 
was  an  English  officer,  and  knew  that  I  was  saved.  I  fancy  I 
must  have  been  weak,  for  I  had  had  nothing  to  eat  the  day 
before,  and  had  been  tied  up  all  night.  For  a  time  I  think  I 
really  fainted.  When  I  recovered  some  soldiers  had  cut  my 
bonds,  and  one  was  pouring  some  spirits  down  my  throat. 
The  English  officer  was  giving  it  hot  to  El  Chico. 

"  '  You  dog  !  '  he  said,  '  it  is  you,  and  the  fellows  like  you, 
who  bring  discredit  on  your  country.  You  run  like  sheep 
when  you  see  a  French  force  under  arms.  You  behave  like 
inhuman  monsters  when,  by  chance,  a  single  man  falls  into 
your  power.  I  have  half  a  mind  to  put  you  against  that  wall 
there  and  have  you  shot ;  or,  what  would  meet  your  deserts 
better,  hang  you  to  yonder  tree.  Don't  finger  that  pistol,  you 
scoundrel,  or  I  will  blow  your  brains  out.  Be  off  with  you, 
and  thank  your  stars  I  did  not  arrive  ten  minutes  later ;  for  if 
I  had  come  too  late  to  save  this  poor  fellow's  life,  I  swear  to 
you  that  I  would  have  hung  you  like  a  dog.  Who  is  the  head 
man  of  the  village  ?  ' 

A  man  stepped  forward. 

"  'What  do  you  mean,  sir,'  said  the  officer  sternly,  'by 
permitting  this  villain  to  use  your  village  for  his  atrocities? 
As  far  as  I  can  see  you  are  all  as  bad  as  he  is,  and  I  have  a 
good  mind  to  burn  the  whole  place  over  your  ears.  As  it  is, 
I  fine  the  village  800  gallons  of  wine,  and  4000  pounds  of 
flour,  and  10  bullocks.  See  that  it  is  all  forthcoming  in  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  or  I  shall  set  my  men  to  help  themselves. 
Not  a  word  !  Do  as  you  are  ordered  !  ' 

"Then  he  dismounted,  and  was  coming  to  me,  when  his 
eye  fell  on  El  Chico.  '  Sergeant,'  he  said  to  a  non-commis- 


BORODINO  231 

sioned  officer,  '  take  four  men  and  march  that  fellow  well  out- 
side the  village,  and  then  stand  and  watch  him ;  and  see  that 
he  goes  on,  and  if  he  doesn't,  shoot  him.'  Then  he  came 
over  to  me.  'It  is  well  that  I  arrived  in  time,  my  lad,'  he 
said  in  French.  '  How  did  you  get  into  this  scrape  ?  ' 

"  '  It  was  wine  did  it,  sir.  I  drank  too  much  at  our  bivouac 
in  a  village  down  the  plain,  and  did  not  hear  the  bugles  in  the 
morning,  and  got  left  behind.  When  I  awoke  they  had  tied 
me  up,  and  they  kept  me  lying  in  the  sun  all  day,  not  giving 
me  as  much  as  a  drop  of  water.  At  sunset  they  marched  me 
up  here  and  tied  me  to  that  post,  and  El  Chico  told  me  that 
I  should  be  roasted  in  the  morning ;  and  so  it  certainly  would 
have  been  if  you  had  not  come  up. 

' '  I  learned  that  he  was  a  Colonel  Trant.  He  commanded 
a  force  of  Portuguese,  and  was  a  daring  partizan  leader,  and 
gave  us  a  great  deal  of  trouble.  I  was  never  more  pleased 
than  I  was  at  seeing  the  disgust  of  those  villagers  as  they  paid 
the  fine  imposed  on  them,  and  I  should  imagine  that  when  El 
Chico  paid  his  next  visit  there,  his  reception  would  not  be  a 
cordial  one.  The  brigade  had  been  marching  all  night,  and 
halted  for  six  hours,  and  the  bullocks,  flour,  and  wine  fur- 
nished them  with  a  good  meal  all  round.  It  was  an  hour  or 
two  before  I  was  able  to  stand,  but  after  a  while  the  circula- 
tion got  right,  and  I  was  able  to  accompany  them  when  they 
marched.  They  did  not  know  until  I  told  them  that  our  force 
had  passed  on  ahead  of  them  in  pursuit  of  Wellington.  I 
made  no  secret  of  that,  for  they  would  have  heard  it  from  the 
first  peasant  they  met.  When  we  started,  the  colonel  asked 
me  what  I  meant  to  do. 

"  '  I  don't  want  to  keep  you  prisoner,  my  man,'  he  said. 
'  In  the  first  place,  I  don' t  wish  to  be  troubled  with  looking 
after  you  ;  and  in  the  second,  you  cannot  be  considered  as  a 
prisoner  of  war,  for  you  were  unarmed  and  helpless  when  we 
found  you.  Now,  we  are  going  to  march  all  night.  I  am  not 


232  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

going  to  tell  where  we  are  going  ;  but  I  think  it  likely  that  we 
shall  pass  within  sight  of  your  camp-fires,  and  in  that  case  I 
will  leave  you  to  make  your  way  down  to  them,  and  will  hand 
you  back  your  musket  and  pouch,  which  you  may  want  if  you 
happen  to  fall  in  with  a  stray  peasant  or  two.' 

"  I  had  noticed  that  they  had  taken  along  my  musket  and 
pouch,  which  had  been  brought  up  by  the  fellows  that  guarded 
me.  They  were  strapped  on  to  a  mule's  pack,  of  which  they 
had  about  a  couple  of  dozen  with  them,  but  I  little  thought 
the  gun  was  going  to  be  given  me  again. 

"  '  Monsieur  le  Colonel,'  I  said,  '  I  thank  you  from  my 
heart.  I  should  have  felt  disgraced  for  ever  if  I  were  to  go 
intp  the  camp  unarmed.  Now,  I  shall  be  able  to  go  in  with 
my  head  erect,  and  take  my  punishment  for  having  got  drunk, 
and  failing  to  fall  in  at  the  assembly,  like  a  man.  On  the  hon- 
our of  a  French  soldier,  I  swear  that  I  shall  for  ever  regard  the 
English  as  the  most  generous  of  foes.' 

"  It  was  noon  when  we  started,  and  at  nine  o'clock  at 
night,  as  we  were  keeping  along  high  up  on  the  hills,  I  saw 
our  bivouac  fires.  A  minute  or  two  later,  the  colonel  rode 
up. 

"  '  There  are  your  fires,  lad,'  he  said.  '  I  don't  fancy  there 
is  any  village  between  us  and  the  spot  where  your  people  are 
encamped.  However,  as  there  is  a  moon,  you  will  be  able  to 
avoid  one  if  you  come  upon  it ;  and  seeing  you  are  armed,  any 
peasants  you  may  meet  will  scarcely  venture  to  attack  you 
within  musket-shot  of  your  own  lines.  Here  is  a  note  I  have 
written  to  the  colonel  of  your  regiment  telling  him  of  the 
plight  I  found  you  in,  and  expressing  a  hope  that  what  you 
have  gone  through  may  be  considered  a  sufficient  punishment 
for  your  indulgence  in  too  much  wine.  Good-night.' 

"  Well,  I  got  down  safely  enough.  Of  course,  when  I  got 
to  our  line  of  pickets,  I  was  challenged,  and  sent  in  a  prisoner. 
In  the  morning  I  was  taken  before  the  colonel.  He  rated  me 


BORODINO  233 

soundly,  I  can  tell  you.  When  he  had  finished,  I  saluted  and 
handed  him  the  note.  He  read  it  through,  and  handed  it  to 
the  major. 

"  '  A  letter  from  the  enemy,'  he  said.  '  It  is  from  Trant, 
who  must  be  a  good  fellow  as  well  as  a  brave  soldier,  as  we 
know  to  our  cost.  Tell  me  more  about  this,  Rignold.' 

"  I  told  him. 

"  '  I  agree  with  the  Englishman,'  he  said.  '  You  have  had 
a  lesson  that  will  last  you  all  your  life.  I  wish  I  had  means  of 
sending  an  answer  back  to  this  English  colonel,  thanking  him 
for  his  generous  treatment.  If  he  ever  falls  into  our  hands,  I 
will  take  care  that  this  action  of  his  shall  be  brought  to  the 
general's  notice.  You  can  go.' 

"  Well,  you  see,  that  lesson  has  lasted  all  my  life ;  and  I  am 
certainly  not  likely  to  forget  it  here,  where  the  peasants  are 
every  bit  as  savage  as  the  Spaniards.  But  as  for  the  English, 
though  I  have  fought  with  them  half  a  dozen  times  since,  and 
have  been  beaten  by  them  too,  I  have  always  had  a  liking  for 
them.  That  was  one  reason  why  I  took  to  you,  youngster, 
from  the  first." 

"  They  fight  well,  do  they?  "  one  of  the  other  sergeants 
asked.  "  I  never  was  in  Spain,  but  I  thought  from  the  bulle- 
tins that  we  generally  beat  them." 

"  Bulletins  !  "  growled  Rignold,  "  who  can  believe  bulle- 
tins? We  have  got  so  accustomed  to  writing  bulletins  of 
victory  that  when  we  do  get  thrashed  we  can't  write  in  any 
other  strain.  Why,  I  tell  you  that  we  who  have  fought  and 
conquered  in  Italy  and  Austria,  in  Prussia  and  on  the  Rhine, 
have  learned  to  acknowledge  among  ourselves,  that  even  our 
best  troops  were  none  too  good  when  it  came  to  fighting  the 
English.  I  fought  a  dozen  battles  against  them,  and  in  not 
one  of  them  could  I  honestly  say  that  we  got  the  best  of  it. 
Talavera  was  the  nearest  thing.  But  we  were  fairly  thrashed 
at  Busaco  and  Salamanca.  Albuera  we  claimed  as  a  drawn 


234  THROUGH   RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

fight,  but  such  a  drawn  fight  I  never  wish  to  share  in  again. 
The  day  had  been  going  well.  The  Spaniards  of  course 
bolted,  horse  and  foot.  But  at  last  matters  cleared  up,  and 
we  advanced  against  them  in  heavy  columns.  Soult  called  up 
all  the  reserves.  We  had  captured  six  of  their  guns.  Our 
columns  had  crowned  the  hill  they  held,  and  we  cheered 
loudly,  believing  that  the  battle  was  won,  when  an  English 
brigade  in  line  fell  upon  us.  Our  guns  swept  them  with  grape, 
and  that  so  terribly  that  for  a  time  they  fell  into  confusion. 
But  to  our  astonishment  they  rallied,  and  came  down  on  us. 
We  were  four  to  one,  but  we  were  in  columns,  and  strove  in 
vain  to  form  into  line  to  meet  them.  Volley  after  volley 
swept  away  the  head  of  our  formation.  Soult  exposed  himself 
recklessly.  Officers  and  men  ran  forward,  and  we  kept  up  a 
fire  that  seemed  as  if  it  must  destroy  them,  and  yet  on  they 
came,  cheering  incessantly.  Never  did  I  see  such  a  thing. 
Never  did  any  other  man  there  see  such  a  thing.  They  came 
down  upon  us  with  the  bayonet.  We  strove,  we  fought  like 
madmen  ;  but  it  was  in  vain,  and  we  were  hurled  down  that 
hill  in  utter  confusion. 

"  We  heard  afterwards  that  of  the  6000  British  soldiers  who 
began  the  day,  but  1800  stood  unwounded  at  the  end.  They 
had  with  them  24,000  Spaniards,  but,  of  course,  we  never 
counted  them  as  anything,  and  they  did  their  allies  more 
harm  than  good  by  throwing  them  into  confusion  in  their 
flight.  We  had  19,000  infantry,  all  veteran  troops,  mind 
you,  and  yet  we  could  not  storm  that  hill,  and  drive  those 
6000  Englishmen  off  it.  We  lost  over  8000  men,  and  that  in 
a  battle  that  lasted  only  four  hours.  Our  regiment  suffered  so 
that  it  was  reduced  to  a  third  of  its  number.  We  fought  them 
again  at  Salamanca,  and  got  thrashed  there ;  soon  after  that 
we  were  sent  back  to  France  to  fill  up  our  ranks  again,  and  I 
for  one  was  glad  indeed  when  we  were  sent  to  the  Rhine  and 
not  back  to  Spain ;  for  I  tell  you  I  never  want  to  meet  the 


BORODINO  265 

English  again  in  battle.  Borodino  was  bad  enough,  and  for 
stubborn,  hard  fighting,  the  Russians  have  proved  themselves 
as  tough  customers  as  one  can  want  to  meet ;  but  the  English 
have  more  dash  and  quickness.  They  manoeuvre  much  more 
rapidly  than  do  the  Russians,  and  when  they  charge,  you  have 
either  got  to  destroy  them  or  to  go." 

"  You  are  right  there,  comrade,"  another  said.  "  I  was 
with  my  regiment,  the  5th,  at  Badajoz.  It  was  a  strong  place. 
Phillipson,  who  was  in  command,  was  a  thoroughly  good  offi- 
cer. He  had  strengthened  the  defences  in  every  way,  and 
the  garrison  was  5000  strong.  We  reckoned  we  could  hold 
out  for  three  months  anyhow.  15,000  men  sat  down  before 
us  on  the  i7th  of  March,  and  began  to  open  trenches  against 
a  strong  outlying  fort.  We  made  several  sorties,  and  did  all 
we  could  to  hinder  them,  but  on  the  25th  they  stormed  the 
fort.  It  was  defended  desperately,  but  in  an  hour  it  was  all 
over.  Still,  that  was  only  an  outlying  work.  Soult  was 
known  to  be  advancing  to  our  relief;  but  he  waited  to  gather 
as  large  a  force  as  possible,  believing,  reasonably  enough,  that 
we  could  hold  out  a  month,  while  we  still  calculated  on  hold- 
ing out  for  three.  The  English  worked  like  demons,  and  on 
the  6th  of  April  they  had  made  two  breaches.  We  had  pre- 
pared everything  for  them.  We  had  planted  mines  all  over 
the  breaches.  We  had  scores  of  powder  barrels,  and  hun- 
dreds of  shells  ready  to  roll  down.  We  had  guns  placed  to 
sweep  them  on  both  flanks  and  along  the  top.  We  had  a 
stockade  of  massive  beams  in  which  were  fixed  sword  blades, 
while  in  front  of  this  the  breach  was  covered  with  loose  planks 
studded  with  sharp  iron  points. 

"  Every  man  behind  the  stockade  had  half  a  dozen  spare 
muskets.  A  legion  of  devils  could  not  have  taken  the  place. 
They  did  not  take  it,  but  never  did  mortal  men  try  harder. 
Even  when  they  felt  that  it  was  absolutely  impossible,  they 
stood  there  amid  that  storm  of  shot  and  shell,  exploding 


23b  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

powder  barrels,  and  bursting  mines.  Two  thousand  men 
were  killed  in  that  breach,  and  yet  they  still  stood  there. 
Our  own  triumph  was  but  a  short  one,  for  another  British 
division  had  carried  the  castle.  While  we  were  exulting  in 
victory,  the  town  was  lost.  Thus,  you  see,  they  had  in 
twenty  days  captured  the  fortress  that  we  and  everyone  else 
made  sure  we  could  defend  for  at  least  three  months.  Fort- 
unately we  were  exchanged  a  short  time  afterwards,  and  so  I 
escaped  being  sent  to  an  English  prison.  I  agree  with  you, 
Rignold.  I  am  ready  to  do  my  share  of  fighting,  but  I 
would  rather  do  it  against  any  one,  even  against  these 
Russians,  than  against  the  English  ;  and  I  think  you  will  find 
that  every  man  who  has  served  in  Spain  would  say  the 
same." 

"  After  all,  comrades,"  another  veteran  said,  "it  seems  to 
me  that  it  does  not  make  much  difference  who  you  have  got 
to  fight  against,  for  you  see  the  generals  make  things  about 
even.  If  one  of  our  generals  finds  that  there  are  say  50,000 
Spaniards  marching  against  him,  while  his  force  is  only 
10,000,  he  gives  battle.  Well,  he  won't  give  battle  to  50,000 
Austrians  unless  he  has  got  something  like  35,000.  I  should 
say  that  after  Borodino  he  would  like  to  have  40,000,  at  least, 
against  50,000  Russians.  No  doubt  the  English  calculate  the 
same  way,  and,  in  Spain,  we  must  admit  that  we  always  found 
them  ready  to  fight  when,  as  far  as  numbers  went,  we  out- 
matched them.  So  I  take  it  that  the  difference  between  the 
fighting  powers  of  armies  is  not  felt  so  much  as  you  would 
think  by  each  soldier,  because  allowance  for  that  is  made  by 
the  generals  on  both  sides,  and  the  soldiers  find  themselves 
always  handicapped  just  in  proportion  to  their  fighting 
powers.  So  you  see  there  is  a  big  element  of  luck  in  it.  The 
question  of  ground  comes  in,  and  climate,  and  so  on.  Now, 
taking  Spain,  though  10,000  against  50,000  would  be  fair 
enough  odds  in  a  fight  in  the  open,  if  a  hundred  of  us  were 


BORODINO  237 

attacked  by  500  Spaniards  among  the  mountains,  it  would  go 
very  hard  with  us.  And,  again,  though  1000  Frenchmen 
might  repulse  3000  of  those  Mamelukes  if  they  attacked  us 
in  the  cool  of  the  morning  or  in  the  evening,  yet  if  we  were 
caught  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  with  the  sun  blazing  down, 
and  parched  with  thirst,  we  might  succumb.  Then,  of  course, 
the  question  of  generals  counts  for  a  great  deal.  So  you  see 
that  even  supposing  both  sides  agree,  as  it  were,  as  to  the 
fighting  powers  of  their  troops,  the  element  of  luck  counts  for 
a  lot,  and  before  you  begin  to  fight  you  can  never  feel  sure 
that  you  are  going  to  win." 

"  Well,  but  we  do  win  almost  everywhere,  Brison." 

"  Yes,  yes  ;  because  we  have  Napoleon  and  Ney  and  Soult 
and  the  rest  of  them.  We  have  had  to  fight  hard  many  and 
many  a  time,  and  if  the  battle  had  been  fought  between  the 
same  armies  with  a  change  of  generals,  things  would  have  gone 
quite  differently  to  what  they  did." 

"  You  were  with  Napoleon  in  Egypt,  were  you  not  ?  ' '  Julian 
asked. 

"Yes,  I  was  there  ;  and,  bad  as  this  desolate  country  is,  I 
would  anyhow  rather  campaign  here  than  in  Egypt.  The  sun 
seems  to  scorch  into  your  very  brain,  and  you  are  suffocated 
by  dust.  Drink  as  much  as  you  will,  you  are  always  tormented 
by  thirst.  It  is  a  level  plain,  for  the  most  part  treeless,  and 
with  nothing  to  break  the  view  but  the  mud  villages,  which 
are  the  same  colour  as  the  soil.  Bah  !  we  loathed  them. 
And  yet  I  ought  not  to  say  anything  against  the  villages,  for, 
if  it  had  not  been  for  one  of  them,  I  should  not  be  here  now. 
I  will  tell  you  the  tale.  Two  hundred  of  us  had  been  de- 
spatched to  seize  some  of  the  leading  sheiks,  who  were  said  to 
be  holding  a  meeting  in  some  place  fifteen  miles  away  from 
where  we  were  encamped.  We  had  a  squadron  of  horse  and 
a  hundred  of  our  men.  We  afterwards  found  that  the  whole 
story  was  a  lie,  invented  to  get  us  into  a  trap.  We  were  guided 


238  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

by  a  villainous-looking  rogue  on  a  camel,  and  beyond  the  fact 
that  we  were  marching  south-east,  we  had  no  idea  where  we 
were  going.  Half  the  cavalry  kept  ahead.  We  had  marched 
four  hours,  when,  on  coming  on  to  the  crest  of  one  of  the 
sand-hills,  we  saw  about  half  a  mile  away  a  little  clump  of  mud 
huts.  Near  the  foot  of  some  high  hills  to  the  right  were  some 
tents. 

"  'There  it  is,'  the  guide  said,  pointing  to  the  tents.  And 
the  cavalry  set  off  at  a  gallop,  followed  by  the  guide,  who  soon 
fell  far  into  their  rear.  Just  as  the  cavalry  reached  the  tents, 
we  saw  two  great  masses  of  horsemen  appear  from  behind  the 
sand-hills  on  either  flank,  and  with  loud  yells  ride  down  upon 
them.  With  a  shout  of  fury  we  were  about  to  break  into  a  run, 
but  the  major  who  was  in  command  said,  '  It  is  useless,  com- 
rades. There  is  but  one  hope.  Make  for  that  village.  We 
can  hold  that ;  and  there,  if  any  of  our  comrades  escape,  they 
will  find  shelter.  Double,  march.'  Off  we  went,  but  it  was 
against  the  grain.  We  could  hear  the  cracking  of  pistols,  the 
shouts  of  our  brave  fellows,  the  yells  of  the  Arabs,  and  our 
hearts  were  there  ;  but  we  felt  that  the  major  was  right.  There 
must  have  been  fully  a  couple  of  thousand  of  the  Arabs,  and 
we  should  have  but  thrown  away  our  lives.  It  was  a  terrible 
run.  The  heat  was  stifling  ;  the  dust  rose  in  clouds  under  our 
feet.  We  could  scarce  breathe,  but  we  knew  that  we  were 
running  for  life.  As  we  neared  the  village,  we  heard  yells 
behind  us. 

"  'A  hundred  yards  further,  lads,'  the  major  shouted.  We 
did  it,  and  when  we  reached  the  first  house  we  halted.  Three 
hundred  yards  away  were  a  dozen  of  our  troopers,  followed  by 
a  mob  of  Arabs.  The  Major  faced  twenty  men  about,  and 
ordered  the  rest  of  us  to  divide  ourselves  among  the  huts. 
There  were  but  nine  of  these.  The  villagers,  who  had  seen 
us  coming,  had  bolted,  and  we  had  just  got  into  the  houses 
when  we  heard  the  rear-guard  open  fire.  There  was  a  young 


BORODINO  239 

lieutenant  Avith  the  troopers,  and,  as  they  rode  in,  he  ordered 
them  to  dismount,  and  to  lead  their  horses  into  the  huts.  A 
moment  later  the  rear-guard  ran  in.  We  felt  for  a  moment 
like  rats  caught  in  a  trap,  for,  in  the  hut  I  was  in,  there  were 
but  two  rooms.  One  had  no  light  but  what  came  in  at  the 
door  ;  the  other  had  an  opening  of  about  nine  inches  square, 
and  that  not  looking  into  the  street.  In  a  moment,  however, 
we  saw  that  there  was  a  ladder  leading  up  to  the  flat  roof,  and 
we  swarmed  up.  These  houses  are  all  built  with  flat  roofs  made 
of  clay  like  the  walls.  Some  of  them  have  a  parapet  about 
a  foot  high  ;  some  of  them  none  at  all.  In  better-class  vil- 
lages some  of  the  parapets  are  a  good  deal  higher  ;  so  that  the 
women  can  sit  there  unobserved  from  the  other  roofs. 

"  The  hut  we  were  in  had  a  low  parapet,  and  we  threw  our- 
selves down  behind  it.  The  street  was  full  of  horsemen,  yell- 
ing and  discharging  their  guns  at  the  doors  ;  but  when,  almost 
at  the  same  moment,  a  rattling  fire  broke  out  from  every  roof, 
the  scene  in  the  street  changed  as  if  by  magic.  Men  fell  from 
their  horses  in  all  directions.  The  horses  plunged  and  strug- 
gled, and  so  terrible  was  the  melee  that,  had  the  houses  stood 
touching  each  other,  I  doubt  whether  a  man  of  those  who  en- 
tered would  have  got  out  alive.  As  it  was,  they  rode  out 
through  the  openings,  leaving  some  sixty  or  seventy  of  their 
number  dead  in  the  street.  We  had  breathing  time  now. 
The  whole  of  the  Arab  horsemen  presently  surrounded  us,  but 
the  lesson  had  been  so  severe  that  they  hesitated  to  make  another 
charge  into  the  village.  The  major's  orders,  that  we  were  not 
to  throw  away  a  shot,  unless  they  charged  down  in  force,  were 
passed  from  roof  to  roof  round  the  village.  We  were  ordered 
to  barricade  the  doors  with  anything  we  could  find,  and  if 
there  was  nothing  else,  we  were,  with  our  bayonets,  to  bring 
down  part  of  the  partition  walls  and  pile  the  earth  against  the 
door.  Each  hut  was  to  report  what  supply  of  water  there  was 
in  it.  This  was  to  be  in  charge  of  the  non-commissioned 


240  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

officer,  or  the  oldest  soldier  if  there  was  not  one,  and  he  was 
to  see  that  it  was  not  touched  at  night.  It  was  to  be  divided 
equally  among  all  the  huts. 

"'You  will  understand,  men,'  he  shouted  from  his  roof, 
'  that  our  lives  depend  more  upon  the  water  than  upon  your 
arms.  We  could  defend  this  place  against  that  horde  for  a  year  ; 
but  if  water  fails  altogether,  there  will  be  nothing  to  do  but  to 
sally  out  and  sell  our  lives  as  dearly  as  we  can.'  Fortunately, 
we  had  still  water  with  us,  for  it  was  not  known  whether  we 
should  find  any  on  the  inarch,  and  we  had  been  ordered  to  leave 
our  kits  behind,  and  to  carry,  in  addition  to  the  water-bottles, 
a  skin  holding  about  a  gallon.  In  our  hut  we  found  eight  po- 
rous jars,  each  of  which  would  hold  about  a  couple  of  gallons. 
Six  of  them  were  full.  The  empty  ones  we  filled  up  from  our 
skins,  for  these  jars  keep  the  water  wonderfully  cool.  In  none 
of  the  other  huts  had  they  found  so  good  a  supply  as  ours,  but 
all  had  more  or  less  water  ;  and,  on  totalling  them  up,  it  was 
found  that  there  was  an  average  of  four  jars  in  each  hut,  with- 
out, of  course,  counting  that  which  we  had  brought.  As  there 
were  a  hundred  and  ten  of  us,  this  gave  a  total  supply  of  a  hun- 
dred and  eighty-two  gallons ;  rather  better  than  a  gallon  and 
a  half  a  man. 

"The  major  ordered  that  the  allowance  was  to  be  a  pint 
night  and  morning  for  the  first  four  days.  If  help  did  not 
come  at  the  end  of  that  time,  it  was  to  be  reduced  by  half. 
We  could  see  where  the  water  came  from.  There  was  a  well- 
worn  path  from  the  village  to  a  hollow  about  three  hundred 
yards  away,  and  we  could  see  that  there  was  a  great  hole,  and 
it  was  down  this  that  the  women  went  to  fill  their  water-jars. 
It  was  a  consolation  to  us  that  it  was  so  close,  for,  if  the  worst 
came  to  the  worst,  half  of  us  could  go  down  at  night  and  refill  the 
jars.  No  doubt  they  would  have  to  fight  their  way,  but,  as  the 
rest  could  cover  them  by  their  fire,  we  felt  that  we  should  be 
able  to  manage  it.  For  the  next  four  days  we  held  the  place. 


BORODINO  241 

We  slept  during  the  day.  The  Arabs  did  not  come  near  us  then ; 
but  as  soon  as  it  got  dusk  they  began  to  crawl  up,  and  flashes 
of  fire  would  break  out  all  round  us. 

"  Unfortunately,  there  was  no  moon,  and  as  they  came  up 
pretty  nearly  naked,  their  bodies  were  so  much  the  colour  of 
the  sand  that  they  could  not  be  made  out  twenty  yards  away. 
They  were  plucky  enough,  for  they  would  come  right  in  among 
the  houses  and  fire  through  the  doors,  and  sometimes  a  number 
of  them  would  make  a  rush  against  one ;  but  nothing  short  of 
bursting  the  doors  into  splinters  would  have  given  them  an 
entry,  so  firmly  did  the  piles  of  earth  hold  them  in  their  places. 
In  the  middle  of  the  fifth  day  a  cloud  of  dust  was  seen  across 
the  plain  from  the  direction  in  which  we  came.  No  one  had 
a  doubt  that  it  was  a  party  sent  to  our  relief,  and  every 
man  sprang  to  his  feet  and  swarmed  up  on  to  the  roof,  as  soon 
as  the  man  on  watch  above  told  us  the  news ;  directly  after- 
wards the  major  shouted,  '  Each  man  can  have  a  ration  of 
water. ' 

"  In  a  few  minutes  we  saw  the  Arabs  mount  and  ride  off, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  five  hundred  of  our  cavalry  rode 
into  the  village.  We  had  only  lost  five  men  ;  all  had  been 
shot  through  the  head  as  they  were  firing  over  the  parapet. 
We  had  each  night  buried  those  who  fell,  and  in  five  minutes 
after  the  arrival  of  the  cavalry,  were  ready  to  start  on  our 
march  back.  If  it  had  not  been  for  that  village,  and  for 
the  quickness  with  which  the  major  saw  what  was  the  only 
thing  to  be  done,  not  a  single  man  would  ever  have  got  back 
to  camp  to  tell  what  had  happened.  They  were  brave  fel- 
lows, those  Arabs  ;  and,  if  well  drilled  by  our  officers,  would 
have  been  grand  troops  on  such  an  expedition  as  this,  and 
would  have  taught  the  Cossacks  a  good  many  things  at  their 
own  game. 

"The  Egyptian  infantry  were  contemptible,  but  the  Arabs 
are  grand  horsemen.  I  don't  say  that  in  a  charge,  however 


242  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

well  drilled,  they  could  stand  against  one  of  our  cuirassier 
regiments.  Men  and  horses  would  be  rolled  over  ;  but  for 
skirmishing,  vidette  duty,  and  foraging,  no  European  cavalry 
would  be  in  it  with  them.  They  are  tireless,  both  horses  and 
men,  and  will  go  for  days  on  a  little  water  and  a  handful  of 
dates  ;  and  if  the  horses  can  get  nothing  else,  they  will  eat 
the  dates  just  as  contentedly  as  their  masters." 

Several  times  as  these  stories  had  been  told,  the  group  had 
risen  to  their  feet  to  watch  the  fires  that  were  burning  in 
various  parts  of  the  town,  and  just  as  the  sergeant  brought 
his  story  to  a  close,  the  assembly  sounded. 

"  I  have  been  expecting  that  for  some  time,"  Brison  said. 
"  As  our  division  is  nearest  to  the  city,  I  thought  they  would 
be  sure  to  turn  us  out  before  long,  to  put  out  those  fires. 
They  must  be  the  work  of  some  of  our  rascally  camp-followers, 
or  of  some  of  the  ruffians  of  the  town,  who  have  been  breaking 
into  deserted  houses  and  plundering  them.  Well,  the  liquor 
is  finished,  and  there  is  always  interest  in  fighting  a  fire." 

Five  minutes  later,  the  Grenadiers  of  the  Rhone  and  six 
other  regiments  of  their  division  marched  into  Moscow  to  ex- 
tinguish the  flames. 

CHAPTER  XIII 

WITH    THE    REAR-GUARD 

\TAPOLEON  had  as  yet  no  idea  that  the  fires  were  other 
11  than  accidental,  and  the  next  morning  removed  his 
headquarters  to  the  Imperial  Palace,  the  Kremlin,  from  which 
he  fondly  hoped  to  dictate  terms  of  peace  to  Russia.  But  it 
was  not  long  before  the  truth  became  evident.  Every  hour 
fresh  fires  broke  out,  and,  spreading  rapidly,  by  nightfall  the 
whole  city  was  in  flames.  On  the  following  day  the  Kremlin 
itself  became  so  uninhabitable  from  the  heat,  that  the  Emperor 


WITH    THE    REAR-GUARD  243 

was  forced  to  withdraw  from  it,  and  could  not  return  till  the 
2oth,  when  heavy  rain  extinguished  the  flames,  which  had 
already  consumed  nine-tenths  of  the  city.  Of  48,000  houses 
only  700  escaped;  of  1600  churches  800  were  destroyed 
and  700  damaged;  of  24,000  wounded  French  and  Russians 
in  the  hospitals  more  than  20,000  perished  in  the  flames.  In 
the  meantime  Kutusow  had  tardily  adopted  the  advice  he  had 
before  rejected,  had  moved  round  with  his  army  and  taken  up 
his  position  on  the  Oka  river,  near  Kulouga,  where  he  men- 
aced the  French  line  of  communication.  Already  the  Cossack 
cavalry  were  hovering  round  Moscow,  intercepting  convoys 
and  cutting  up  small  detachments,  while  the  horses  of  the 
French  cavalry  were  so  worn  out  by  fatigue  and  famine  that 
in  several  affairs  with  the  Russian  cavalry  the  latter  gained  de- 
cisive advantages. 

"  You  are  right  again,  comrade,"  the  old  sergeant  said  to 
Julian,  who  had  been  promoted  to  the  rank  of  sergeant  after 
the  battle  of  Borodino,  as  they  stood  together  on  the  night  of 
the  1 5th  gazing  at  the  terrible  spectacle  of  the  city  enveloped 
in  flames.  "  Peste  !  these  Russians  are  terrible  fellows.  Who 
could  have  thought  of  such  a  thing  ?  It  is  a  bad  look-out  for 
us." 

"A  terrible  look-out,  there  is  no  denying  it,"  Julian 
agreed.  "It  is  impossible  for  the  army  to  stay  here  without 
food,  without  forage,  without  shelter,  with  our  communica- 
tions threatened,  and  the  Russian  army  on  our  flank.  I  see 
nothing  for  it  but  to  retreat,  and  the  sooner  we  are  out  of  it 
the  better.  Were  I  the  Emperor  I  would  issue  orders  for  the 
march  to  begin  at  daylight.  In  another  month  winter  will  be 
on  us,  and  none  can  say  what  disasters  may  befall  the  army." 

Had  the  order  been  given  that  day  the  French  army  might 
have  made  its  way  back  to  the  frontier,  with  heavy  loss  doubt- 
less, but  without  disaster.  But  Napoleon  could  not  bring 
himself  to  believe  that  the  Russians  would  refuse  to  enter  into 


244  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

negotiations.  He  tried  through  various  sources  to  send  pro- 
posals to  Alexander,  and  even  opened  secret  negotiations  with 
Ktitusow,  and  had  arranged  for  a  private  meeting  with  him, 
when  the  matter  was  stopped  by  Sir  Robert  Wilson,  who  had 
received  specific  instructions  from  the  Emperor  Alexander  to 
interpose  in  his  name  to  prevent  any  negotiations  whatever 
being  carried  on.  Thus  week  after  week  of  precious  time 
passed,  and  then  a  portion  of  the  army  moved  against  the 
Russians.  Several  engagements  took  place,  the  advantage 
generally  resting  with  the  Russians,  especially  in  an  engage- 
ment with  Murat,  who  suffered  a  decisive  repulse. 

Julian  had,  as  soon  as  the  fire  in  Moscow  burnt  itself  out, 
employed  himself  in  endeavouring  to  buy  some  warm  garments. 
Money  was  plentiful,  for  there  had  been  no  means  of  spending 
it  since  they  entered  Russia,  and  he  was  fortunate  in  being 
able  to  buy  some  very  warm  under-garments  that  had  been 
looted  by  the  plunderers  on  the  night  of  their  first  arrival  be- 
fore Moscow.  He  also  purchased  a  peasant's  sheep-skin  caf- 
tan with  a  hood,  and  sewed  this  into  his  military  cloak  so  as 
to  form  a  lining,  the  hood  being  for  the  time  turned  inside. 
From  another  sheep-skin  he  manufactured  a  couple  of  bags  to 
be  used  as  mittens,  without  fingers  or  thumbs.  Many  of  his 
comrades  laughed  at  him  as  he  did  his  work,  but  as  the  days 
grew  colder  most  of  them  endeavoured  to  follow  his  example, 
and  the  skins  of  sheep  brought  in  occasionally  by  the  cavalry 
were  eagerly  bought  up.  Encouraged  by  his  success,  Julian 
next  manufactured  a  pair  of  sheep-skin  leggings,  with  the 
wool  inside.  They  were  sewn  up  at  the  bottom,  so  that  they 
could  be  worn  over  his  boots.  The  shape  left  much  to  be  de- 
sired, but  by  cutting  up  a  blanket  he  made  two  long  bands, 
each  three  inches  wide  and  some  twenty  feet  long.  These  he 
intended  to  wrap  tightly  round  the  leggings  when  in  use. 

The  leggings,  gloves,  and  bands  were  stowed  away  in  his 
knapsack,  almost  everything  else  being  discarded  to  make  room 


WITH   THE   REAR-GUARD  245 

for  them  ;  for  he  felt  sure  that  there  would  be  no  inspection 
of  kits  until  the  frontier  had  been  crossed. 

Still,  Napoleon  could  not  bring  himself  to  issue  a  general 
order  for  a  retreat,  but  corps  after  corps  was  moved  along  the 
western  road.  Mortier's  division  remained  last  in  Moscow, 
and  marched  on  the  23rd  of  October,  after  having,  by  Napo- 
leon's orders,  blown  up 'the  Kremlin,  the  Church  of  St.  Nich- 
olas, and  the  adjoining  buildings.  The  safest  line  of  retreat 
would  have  been  through  Witebsk,  but  Napoleon  took  the 
more  southern  road,  and  the  army  believed  that  it  was  in- 
tended to  fight  another  great  battle  with  the  Russians. 

The  weather  at  first  was  fine.  On  the  24th  the  vanguard, 
under  the  Viceroy,  came  in  contact  with  Uoctorow's  division, 
and  a  fierce  fight  took  place  near  Malo  Jaroslavets.  The 
French  were  checked,  and  Kutusow,  coming  up  with  the  main 
army,  it  was  apparent  to  all,  that  the  French  vanguard  could 
be  overwhelmed  and  Napoleon's  retreat  brought  to  a  standstill. 
But,  just  as  the  generals  were  all  expecting  the  order  to  attack, 
Kutusow,  whose  previous  conduct  in  entering  into  secret  ne- 
gotiations with  Napoleon  had  excited  strong  suspicions  of  his 
good  faith,  announced  that  he  had  changed  his  mind,  and 
ordered  the  Russian  army  to  draw  off,  thus  for  a  time  saving 
the  French  from  complete  disaster. 

The  battle,  however,  had  been  a  sanguinary  one,  no  less 
than  ten  thousand  being  killed  on  each  side.  After  the  retire- 
ment of  the  Russians  the  retreat  was  continued.  Davoust 
commanded  the  advance  ;  Ney's  division  was  to  cover  the 
rear.  The  French  army  at  first  moved  very  slowly,  for  it  was 
not  until  the  2Qth  that  Napoleon  reached  Borodino.  He 
himself  had  long  been  in  ill-health ;  bodily  pain  had  sapped 
his  energy.  He  had  for  a  long  time  been  unable  to  sit  on  a 
horse,  and  had  travelled  in  a  close  carriage.  Consequently  he 
seemed  to  have  lost  for  a  time  all  his  energy  and  quickness  of 
decision,  and  after  five  weeks  thrown  away  at  Moscow,  another 


24G  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

was  wasted  in  slow  movements  when  haste  was  of  the  greatest 
importance.  The  French  suffered,  too,  from  the  disadvantage 
that,  while  their  every  movement  was  discovered  and  reported 
by  the  ubiquitous  Cossacks,  they  themselves  were  in  absolute 
ignorance  of  the  strength  and  movements  of  the  enemy. 

On  the  6th  of  November  a  bitter  frost  set  in,  and  the  sol- 
diers awoke  chilled  to  the  bone,  and  with  gloomy  anticipations 
of  what  would  happen  when  the  full  rigour  of  a  Russian  winter 
was  upon  them.  In  some  respects  the  frost  was  an  advantage, 
for  it  hardened  the  roads,  that  were  before  often  almost  im- 
passable from  the  amount  of  heavy  traffic  that  had  passed  over 
them.  But,  upon  the  other  hand,  floating  masses  of  ice  speed- 
ily covered  the  rivers,  rendering  the  work  of  fording  them 
painful  and  difficult  in  the  extreme.  A  Russian  division  had, 
on  the  3rd,  pressed  hotly  on  the  retreating  column  just  as  they 
reached  the  Wiazma  river.  A  sanguinary  conflict  took  place, 
the  corps  of  the  Viceroy  passed  through  the  town  on  its  banks, 
and  crossed  the  river  in  fair  order,  but  that  of  Davoust  broke 
and  crossed  in  great  confusion,  covered  by  Ney's  division, 
which  retreated  steadily,  facing  about  from  time  to  time,  and 
repulsing  the  infantry  attacks,  but  suffering  heavily  from  the 
artillery.  Ney  set  the  town  on  fire  to  cover  his  retreat,  crossed 
the  bridges,  and  there  stemmed  the  further  advance  of  the 
Russians. 

The  French  loss  in  the  engagement  was  6000  killed  and 
wounded,  and  2000  prisoners.  The  Viceroy  was  directed  to 
march  on  Witebsk,  but  he  was  overtaken  by  the  enemy  when 
endeavouring  to  throw  a  bridge  over  the  half-frozen  little  river 
called  the  Vop.  The  bridge,  hastily  made,  gave  way.  The 
banks  were  extremely  steep.  The  Grenadiers  waded  through 
the  river,  though  the  water,  full  of  floating  ice,  came  up  to 
their  breasts;  but  the  artillery  following  were  unable  to  climb 
the  bank,  and  the  guns  were  soon  frozen  fast  in  the  river,  and 
they  and  the  whole  of  the  baggage  had  to  be  left  behind.  A 


WITH    THE    REAR-GUARD  Zif 

similar  misfortune  befell  another  of  the  Viceroy's  divisions, 
which  had  remained  behind  to  cover  the  retreat,  and  of  the 
14,000  soldiers  who  commenced  the  march  but  6000  remained 
with  their  colours,  and  but  12  of  the  92  guns  that  had  accom- 
panied them. 

The  condition  of  the  French  army  rapidly  deteriorated. 
The  cold  had  already  become  intense,  and  the  soldiers  being 
weak  with  hunger  were  the  less  able  to  support  it.  The 
horses  died  in  great  numbers,  and  their  flesh  was  the  principal 
food  upon  which  the  troops  had  to  rely.  No  one  dared  strag- 
gle to  forage,  for  the  Cossacks  were  ever  hovering  round,  and 
the  peasants,  emerging  from  their  hiding-places  in  the  forests, 
murdered,  for  the  most  part  with  atrocious  tortures,  everyone 
who  fell  out  of  the  ranks  from  wounds,  exhaustion,  or  frost- 
bite. 

Julian  had,  since  their  retreat  began,  again  recovered  his 
spirits.  He  was  now  not  fighting  to  conquer  a  country 
against  which  he  had  no  animosity,  but  for  his  own  life  and 
that  of  the  thousands  of  sick  and  wounded. 

''I  am  glad  that  we  are  in  the  rear -guard,"  he  said  to  a 
number  of  non-commissioned  officers  who  were  one  evening, 
when  they  were  fortunate  enough  to  be  camped  in  a  wood, 
gathered  round  a  huge  fire. 

"Why  so,  Jules?  It  seems  to  me  that  we  have  the  hard- 
est work,  and,  besides,  there  is  not  a  day  that  we  have  not  to 
fight." 

"That  is  the  thing  that  does  us  good,"  Julian  replied. 
' '  The  columns  ahead  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  think  of  the 
cold,  and  hunger,  and  misery.  They  straggle  along  ;  they  no 
longer  march.  With  us  it  is  otherwise.  We  are  still  soldiers; 
we  keep  our  order.  We  are  proud  to  know  that  the  safety  of 
the  army  depends  on  us;  and,  if  we  do  get  knocked  over  with 
a  bullet,  surely  that  is  a  better  fate  than  dropping  from  ex- 
haustion, and  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  peasants." 


248  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"You  are  right,  Jules,"  several  of  them  exclaimed.  "It 
is  better  a  thousand  times." 

"  We  have  a  bad  prospect  before  us,"  Julian  went  on. 
"  There  is  no  denying  that ;  but  it  will  make  all  the  differ- 
ence how  we  face  it.  Above  all  things  we  have  got  to  keep 
up  our  spirits.  I  have  heard  that  the  captains  of  the  whalers 
in  the  northern  seas  do  everything  in  their  power  to  interest 
and  amuse  their  crews.  They  sing,  they  dance,  they  tell 
stories  of  adventures,  and  the  great  thing  is  to  keep  from 
brooding  over  the  present.  I  am  but  a  young  sergeant,  and 
most  of  you  here  have  gone  through  many  a  campaign,  and  it 
is  not  for  me  to  give  advice,  but  I  should  say  that  above  all 
things  we  ought  to  try  to  keep  up  the  spirits  of  our  men.  If 
we  could  but  start  the  marching  songs  we  used  to  sing  as  we 
tramped  through  Germany,  it  would  set  men's  feet  going  in 
time,  would  make  them  forget  the  cold  and  hunger,  and  they 
would  march  along  erect,  instead  of  with  their  eyes  fixed  on 
the  ground,  and  stumbling  as  if  they  could  not  drag  their 
feet  along.  We  should  tell  them  why  we  sing,  or  they  might 
think  it  was  a  mockery.  Tell  them  that  the  Grenadiers  of 
the  Rhone  mean  to  show  that,  come  what  may,  they  intend 
to  be  soldiers  to  the  last,  and  to  face  death,  whether  from  the 
Russians  or  from  the  winter,  heads  erect  and  courage  high. 
Let  us  show  them  that,  as  we  have  ever  done  our  duty,  so  we 
shall  do  it  to  the  end,  and  that  it  will  be  a  matter  of  pride 
that  throughout  the  division  it  should  be  said,  when  they 
hear  our  songs,  '  There  go  the  Grenadiers  of  the  Rhone,  brave 
fellows  and  good  comrades  ;  see  how  they  bear  themselves.'  ' 

"  Bravo,  bravo,  Jules  !  bravo,  Englishman  !  "  the  whole  of 
the  party  shouted.  "So  it  shall  be,  we  swear  it.  The  Grena- 
diers of  the  Rhone  shall  set  an  example." 

Suddenly  the  voices  hushed,  and  Julian  was  about  to  look 
round  to  see  the  cause  of  their  silence,  when  a  hand  was  laid 
on  his  shoulder,  and,  turning,  he  saw  Ney  standing  beside 


WITH    THE    REAR-GUARD  249 

him,  with  three  or  four  of  his  staff.  They  had  come  up 
unobserved,  and  had  stopped  a  few  paces  away  just  as  Julian 
began  to  speak. 

"Bravo,  comrade!"  the  marshal  said;  "spoken  in  the 
true  spirit  of  a  soldier.  Were  there  a  dozen  men  like  you  in 
every  regiment  I  should  have  no  fear  for  the  future.  Did 
they  call  you  Englishman  ?  ' ' 

"  Yes,  General.  I  was  a  prisoner  at  Verdun,  though 
neither  an  English  soldier  or  sailor,  and  when  a  call  came 
for  volunteers,  and  I  was  promised  that  I  should  not  be  called 
upon  to  fight  against  my  own  countrymen,  I  thought  it  better 
to  carry  a  French  musket  than  to  rot  in  a  French  prison." 

"  And  you  have  carried  it  well,"  the  marshal  said.  "  Had 
you  not  done  so  you  would  not  have  won  your  stripes  among 
the  men  of  the  Grenadiers  of  the  Rhone,  where  every  man 
has  again  and  again  shown  that  he  is  a  hero.  Carry  out  your 
brave  comrade's  idea,  lads.  We  all  want  comforting,  and  my 
own  heart  will  beat  quicker  to-morrow  as  I  ride  along  and 
hear  your  marching  song,  and  I  shall  say  to  myself,  '  God 
bless  the  brave  Grenadiers  of  the  Rhone ; '  I  trust  that  others 
will  follow  your  example.  What  is  your  name,  sergeant?  " 

"Julian  Wyatt,  General." 

"  Put  it  down  in  my  note-book,"  Ney  said  to  one  of  his 
staff.  "  Good-night,  comrades,  you  have  done  me  good.  By 
the  way,  a  hundred  yards  to  your  left  I  marked  a  dead  horse 
as  I  came  along  ;  it  may  help  your  suppers."  Then,  amid  a 
cheer  from  the  soldiers,  Ney  moved  on  with  his  staff. 

It  was  not  many  minutes  before  portions  of  the  horse  were 
cooking  over  the  fire. 

"  1  feel  another  man  already,"  one  of  the  younger  sergeants 
laughed,  as  they  ate  their  meal.  "  Jules  is  right ;  good  spirits 
are  everything." 

"  Bear  that  in  mind  to-morrow,  Antoine,"  another  said. 
"It  is  easy  enough  to  be  cheerful  when  one  is  warm  and  has 


250  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

got  some  meat,  even  though  it  be  only  horse-flesh  and  mightily 
tough  at  that,  between  your  teeth  ;  but  it  is  harder  to  be  so 
after  sixteen  hours  of  marching  and  fighting." 

"  Well,  we  will  try  anyhow,  Jacques." 

Another  quarter  of  an  hour  and  the  circle  broke  up,  the 
non-commissioned  officers  going  off  to  the  companies  to  which 
they  belonged. 

Wood  being  plentiful,  great  fires  were  kept  blazing  all  night, 
and  round  each  was  told  what  Julian  had  said,  the  commenda- 
tion Ney  had  given  the  regiment,  and  his  warm  approval  of 
the  plan.  As  soon  as  the  order  was  given  to  march  in  the 
morning,  and  Julian  started  one  of  their  old  marching  songs, 
it  was  taken  up  from  end  to  end  of  the  column,  to  the  aston- 
ishment of  the  officers  and  of  the  men  of  other  regiments 
within  hearing.  The  effect  upon  the  men  themselves  was 
electrical.  The  dogged  look  of  determination  with  which 
they  had  before  plodded  along  was  supplanted  by  an  air  of 
gaiety.  They  marched  along  in  time  to  the  music  with  a 
step  that  was  almost  elastic.  Not  since  they  had  crossed  the 
Niemen  had  the  song,  been  heard  ;  occasionally  a  singer  was 
silent  for  a  minute  or  two,  and  passed  his  hand  across  his  eyes 
as  he  thought  of  the  many  voices  of  comrades,  now  hushed 
for  ever,  that  had  then  joined  in  the  chorus.  Half-an-hour 
later  Ney,  followed  by  his  staff,  rode  along  past  the  column. 
As  he  reached  the  head  he  spoke  to  the  colonel,  and  the  order 
was  at  once  given  for  the  regiment  to  form  up  in  hollow 
square.  When  they  had  done  so  the  colonel  shouted,  ''Atten- 
tion !  "  Ney  took  off  his  plumed  hat  and  said,  in  a  voice 
loud  enough  to  be  heard  by  all : 

"Grenadiers  of  the  Rhone,  I  salute  you.  All  honour  to 
the  regiment  that  has  set  an  example  to  the  army  of  cheerful- 
ness under  hardships.  You  will  be  placed  in  the  order  of  the 
day  with  the  thanks  of  your  marshal  for  the  spirit  you  have 
shown.  Maintain  it,  my  friends;  it  will  warm  you  more 


WITH    THE    REAR-GUARD  251 

thoroughly  than  food  or  fire,  and  will  carry  you  triumphantly 
through  whatever  fate  may  have  in  store  for  us." 

A  deep  cheer  burst  from  the  regiment  as  the  gallant  soldier 
bowed  to  his  horse's  mane  and  then  rode  on  with  his  staff, 
while  the  regiment,  again  breaking  into  a  song,  continued  its 
march.  Late  in  the  afternoon  they  were  again  engaged.  The 
long  columns  ahead  were  delayed  by  crossing  a  narrow  bridge 
over  a  river,  and  for  two  hours  the  rear-guard  had  to  stand 
firm  against  constant  attacks  by  the  Russians.  At  one  time  a 
heavy  column  of  Russian  infantry  moved  down  upon  them, 
but  Ney,  riding  up  to  the  grenadiers,  said  : 

' '  I  give  you  the  post  of  honour,  comrades.  Drive  back 
that  column." 

The  colonel  gave  the  order  to  charge,  and  the  regiment 
rushed  forward  with  such  ardour  to  the  attack,  that  the  Rus- 
sians were  compelled  to  fall  back  with  heavy  loss,  and  shortly 
afterwards  news  came  that  the  bridge  was  clear,  and  the  rear- 
guard followed  the  rest  of  the  army.  Forty  of  the  grenadiers 
had  fallen,  among  them  their  colonel  and  two  other  officers. 
The  next  morning,  before  the  regiment  marched,  the  major 
as  usual  read  out  to  it  the  order  of  the  day.  The  marshal 
expressed  his  approbation  of  the  spirit  which  the  Grenadiers 
of  the  Rhone  had  manifested. 

"  This  fine  regiment,"  he  said,  "  has  ever  merited  eulogium 
for  the  manner  in  which  it  has  sustained  the  honour  of  its  flag 
in  every  engagement  in  which  it  has  taken  part.  The  marshal 
considers,  however,  that  even  higher  praise  is  due  to  it  for  its 
bearing  in  the  present  stress  of  circumstances.  Good  spirits, 
and  the  resolution  to  look  at  things  in  a  cheerful  light,  is  the 
best  method  of  encountering  them,  and  it  cheered  the  hearts 
of  all  near  them  to  hear  them  singing  their  marching  songs. 
The  marshal  in  passing  them  was  struck  with  the  renewal  of 
their  martial  appearance,  as  they  marched,  head  erect,  in  time 
to  their  songs,  and  he  hopes  that  their  example  will  be  fol- 


252  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

lowed  by  the  other  regiments  of  the  corps,  and  is  sure  that  not 
only  will  it  be  to  the  advantage  of  the  discipline  and  efficiency 
of  the  troops,  but  it  will  greatly  conduce  to  their  own  well- 
being,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  will  be  able  to  support 
cold,  hunger,  and  fatigue." 

The  marshal  had  brought  the  conduct  and  fine  bearing  of 
the  Grenadiers  of  the  Rhone  under  the  attention  of  the  Em- 
peror. In  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  soldiers  of  Ney's  corps 
had  to  endure  a  larger  amount  of  hardship  than  that  of 
the  rest  of  the  army,  from  the  necessity  of  constant  vigilance, 
and  from  the  long  hours  they  were  upon  the  road,  their  health 
suffered  less  than  that  of  other  troops.  In  the  first  place,  they 
had  an  absolute  faith  in  their  commander ;  in  the  next,  they 
were  in  the  post  of  honour,  and  on  them  the  safety  of  the 
whole  army  depended.  Thus  the  constant  skirmishing,  and, 
occasionally,  hard  fighting  that  went  on,  braced  them  up,  and 
saved  them  from  the  moody  depression  that  weighed  upon  the 
rest  of  the  army.  They  had,  too,  some  material  advantage 
from  the  broken-down  waggons  and  vehicles  of  all  sorts  that  fell 
behind.  Every  day  they  obtained  a  certain  amount  of  stores, 
while  from  the  bodies  of  those  who  had  dropped  from  exhaus- 
tion, sickness,  or  cold  they  obtained  a  supply  of  extra  clothing. 

The  morning  after  the  reading  of  Ney's  order  of  the  day 
commending  the  regiment,  an  order  from  Napoleon  himself 
was  read  at  the  head  of  the  regiment,  Ney  taking  his  place  by 
the  side  of  the  newly  promoted  colonel.  The  Emperor  said 
that  he  had  received  the  report  of  Marshal  Ney  of  the  conduct 
and  bearing  of  the  Grenadiers  of  the  Rhone,  together  with  a 
copy  of  his  order  of  the  day,  and  that  this  was  fully  endorsed 
by  the  Emperor,  who  felt  that  the  spirit  they  were  showing 
was  even  more  creditable  to  them  than  the  valour  that  they  had 
so  often  exhibited  in  battle,  and  that  he  desired  personally  to 
thank  them.  The  marshal  had  also  brought  before  his  notice 
the  conduct  of  Sergeant  Wyatt  of  that  regiment,  who  had,  he 


WITH    THE    REAR-GUARD  253 

was  informed,  been  the  moving  spirit  in  the  change  that  he  so 
much  commended,  and,  as  a  mark  of  his  approbation,  he  had 
requested  the  marshal  himself,  as  his  representative,  to  affix  to 
his  breast  the  ribbon  of  the  cross  of  the  Legion  of  Honour." 

The  colonel  called  upon  Sergeant  Wyatt  to  come  forward. 
Julian  did  so,  saluted,  and  stood  to  attention,  while  the  mar- 
shal dismounted  and  pinned  to  his  breast  the  insignia  of  the 
order,  while  the  regiment  saluted,  and,  as  Julian  returned  to 
his  place  in  the  ranks,  burst  into  a  hearty  cheer.  As  soon  as 
the  marshal  had  ridden  off,  and  the  regiment  fell  out,  the 
officers  gathered  round  Julian  and  congratulated  him  upon  the 
honour  he  had  received,  and,  at  the  same  time,  thanked  him 
heartily  for  the  credit  that  the  regiment  had  gained,  through 
his  means,  while  the  enthusiasm  of  the  soldiers  knew  no 
bounds.  A  word  of  praise  from  the  Emperor  was  the  dis- 
tinction that  French  soldiers  and  French  regiments  most  cov- 
eted, and  to  have  been  named,  not  only  by  their  marshal  in 
his  orders,  but  by  the  Emperor  in  a  general  order  to  the 
army,  was  an  honour  that  filled  every  heart  with  pride. 

Julian  had  been  a  favourite  before,  but  henceforth  his  popu- 
larity was  unbounded.  Many  of  the  other  regiments  followed 
the  example  of  the  grenadiers,  and,  in  spite  of  the  ever-in- 
creasing cold  and  the  constantly  augmenting  hardships,  Ney's 
corps  retained  their  discipline  and  efficiency.  Their  appear- 
ance, indeed,  was  no  longer  soldierly.  Their  garments  were 
in  rags.  Many  wore  three  or  four  coats.  Their  legs  were 
encased  in  hay-bands,  strips  of  blanket,  or  sheep-skins.  Ju- 
lian now  took  out  for  the  first  time  from  his  knapsack  the  leg- 
gings that  he  had  manufactured,  and,  with  the  strips  of  blanket 
that  he  wound  round  them,  they  differed  in  appearance  in  no 
degree  from  the  leggings  of  some  of  his  comrades,  except  that 
they  enveloped  the  feet  also.  On  the  day  following  the  read- 
ing of  Napoleon's  order,  the  grenadiers  came  upon  an  over- 
turned caleche.  It  had  been  ransacked  by  a  regiment  that 


254  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

had  preceded  them.  The  driver  and  a  woman  lay  dead  beside 
it,  and  they  would  have  passed  on  without  paying  any  atten- 
tion to  it,  had  it  not  been  for  a  faint  cry  that  met  the  ears  of 
Julian,  as  his  company  passed  close  by  it.  He  dropped  back 
a  few  paces  to  an  officer,  and  asked  leave  to  fall  out  for  a 
minute.  Going  to  the  carriage  he  found  lying  there  among 
the  cushions  a  little  girl  some  five  or  six  years  old.  Her  cloak 
had  been  stripped  off  her,  and  she  was  blue  with  cold.  Julian 
hesitated. 

"  I  will  try  anyhow,"  he  muttered  to  himself.  He  first 
ripped  open  one  of  the  cushions,  pulled  out  the  woollen  stuff- 
ing, and  wrapped  it  round  the  child's  arms  and  legs,  binding 
it  there  with  strips  of  the  velvet  covering  the  cushions.  Then 
he  took  off  his  cloak,  and  raised  her  on  to  his  back,  having 
first  cut  off  one  of  the  reins.  With  this  he  strapped  her  se- 
curely in  that  position,  put  on  his  warm  cloak  again,  and  then, 
hurrying  forward,  soon  overtook  the  rear  of  his  regiment. 

"  Bravo,  Jules !  "  many  of  his  comrades  said,  as  he  passe. I 
along  the  column;  while  others  asked,  "  Why  do  you  en- 
cumber yourself  with  that  child  ?  It  is  enough  now  for 
every  man  to  look  to  himself,  and  you  cannot  carry  her 
far." 

"  I  will  do  what  I  can,"  he  replied.  "  She  is  not  so  heavy 
as  my  knapsack  when  it  is  full,  and  it  is  empty  now;  I  am 
only  keeping  it  because  it  is  useful  as  a  pillow.  I  can't  say 
how  far  I  can  carry  her,  but  as  long  as  I  can  go  she  shall. 
We  have  taken  lives  enough,  heaven  knows.  .  It  is  as  well  to 
save  one  if  one  gets  the  opportunity." 

In  half  an  hour  Julian  felt  a  movement  on  the  part  of  his 
little  burden,  whose  hands  he  had  been  chafing  with  his  own 
unoccupied  one.  Presently  something  was  said  in  Russian. 
He  did  not  reply,  and  then  there  was  a  little  struggle,  and  the 
voice  said  in  French:  "Nurse,  where  am  I?  Where  are 
you  taking  me?  Where  is  the  carriage  ?  " 


WITH    THE    REAR-GUARD  255 

"  Do  not  fret,  little  one,"  Julian  replied  in  the  same 
language.  "I  am  a  friend,  and  will  take  care  of  you. 
Your  carriage  broke  down,  and  so  I  am  carrying  you  until 
we  can  get  you  another.  Are  you  warm  ?  ' ' 

"Yes,"  the  child  said.  "I  am  quite  warm,  but  I  want 
my  nurse." 

"  Nurse  can't  come  to  you  now,  my  dear;  but  I  will  try 
to  be  a  good  nurse  to  you. ' ' 

"  I  want  to  see  what  you  are  like." 

"  You  shall  see  presently,"  he  said.  "It  would  be  very 
cold  if  you  were  to  put  your  head  outside.  The  best  thing 
that  you  can  do  is  to  try  to  get  to  sleep." 

The  warmth  doubtless  did  more  than  Julian's  exhortation, 
for  the  child  said  no  more,  and  Julian  felt  certain  after  a 
short  time  that  she  had  gone  off  to  sleep.  He  was  now  in  his 
place  with  his  company  again,  and  joined  in  the  song  that 
they  were  singing,  softly  at  first,  but,  as  he  felt  no  movement, 
louder  and  louder  until,  as  usual,  his  voice  rose  high  above 
the  chorus.  Nevertheless,  his  thoughts  were  with  the  child. 
What  was  he  to  do  with  her  ?  how  was  she  to  be  fed  ?  He 
could  only  hope  for  the  best.  So  far  Providence  had  assur- 
edly made  him  the  means  of  preserving  her  life,  and  to  Prov- 
idence he  must  leave  the  rest.  It  might  be  all  for  the  best. 
The  weight  was  little  to  him,  and  there  was  a  sense  of  warmth 
and  comfort  in  the  little  body  that  lay  so  close  to  his  back. 
What  troubled  him  most  was  the  thought  of  what  he  should 
do  with  her  when  he  was  engaged  with  the  Russians.  He 
decided  that  she  must  stay  then  in  one  of  the  carts  that  car- 
ried the  spare  ammunition  of  the  regiment,  and  accompanied 
it  everywhere.  "At  any  rate,  if  I  should  fall,"  he  said, 
"and  she  be  left  behind,  she  has  only  to  speak  in  Russian 
when  the  enemy  come  up,  and  no  doubt  they  will  take  care 
of  her.  Her  father  must  be  a  man  of  some  importance.  The 
carriage  was  a  very  handsome  one.  If  she  can  make  them 


256  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

understand  who  she  is,  there  is  no  doubt  they  will  restore  her 
to  her  parents." 

There  was  but  little  fighting  that  day,  and  when  the  regi- 
ment fell  out,  fortunately  halting  again  in  a  wood,  Julian 
waited  until  the  fires  were  lighted,  and  then  unloosened  the 
straps  and  shifted  the  child  round  in  front  of  him.  She 
opened  her  eyes  as  he  did  so. 

"Well,  little  one,  here  we  are  at  our  journey's  end,"  he 
said  cheerfully.  "  You  have  had  a  nice  sleep,  and  you  look 
as  warm  as  a  toast." 

She  was  indeed  changed.  A  rosy  flush  had  taken  the  place 
of  the  bluish-gray  tint  on  her  cheeks;  her  eyes  were  bright, 
and  she  looked  round  at  the  strange  scene  with  a  face  devoid 
of  all  fear. 

"  Are  you  my  new  nurse?  "  she  asked. 

"Yes,  dear." 

"You  look  nice,"  she  said  calmly,  "but  I  should  like 
Claire,  too." 

"  She  can't  come  at  present,  little  one,  so  you  must  put  up 
with  me." 

"  Are  you  one  of  those  wicked  Frenchmen  ?  "  she  asked. 

"I  am  an  Englishman.  Some  of  them  are  Frenchmen, 
but  all  Frenchmen  are  not  wicked.  You  will  see  that  all  my 
friends  here  will  be  very  kind  to  you,  and  will  do  everything 
they  can  to  make  you  comfortable,  till  we  can  send  you  to 
your  friends  again." 

The  child  was  silent  for  some  time. 

"There  was  a  great  noise,"  she  said  gravely,  "  and  guns 
fired,  and  the  coachman  fell  off  the  box,  and  then  nurse  called 
out  and  opened  the  door  and  jumped  out,  and  then  the  horses 
plunged  and  the  carriage  fell  over,  and  I  don't  know  any 
more." 

"There  was  an  accident,"  Julian  said.  "Don't  think 
about  that  now.  I  will  tell  you  about  it  some  day. ' ' 


WITH    THE    REAR-GUARD  257 

"I  am  hungry,"  the  child  said  imperiously.  "Get  me 
something  to  eat." 

"  We  are  going  to  cook  our  suppers  directly,  dear.  Now 
let  us  go  and  sit  by  that  fire.  I  am  afraid  you  won't  find  the 
supper  very  nice,  but  it  is  the  best  we  have  got.  What  is 
your  name  ?  ' ' 

"  I  am  the  Countess  Stephanie  Woronski,"  the  little  maid 
said  ;  "  and  what  is  your  name  ?  " 

"  My  name  is  Julian  Wyatt." 

"  It  is  a  funny  name,"  the  child  said  ;  "  but  I  think  I  like 
it." 

Julian  carried  her  to  the  fire,  and  seated  her  with  her  feet 
before  it. 

"  Where  is  my  cloak,"  she  asked,  as  on  setting  her  down 
she  perceived  the  deficiency;  "and  what  are  those  ugly 
things  ?  "  and  she  looked  at  the  swathing  round  her  arms  and 
legs. 

"Some  bad  men  took  your  cloak,"  he  said;  "none  of 
these  men  here  did  it  ;  and  you  were  very  cold  when  I  found 
you,  so  I  put  some  of  the  stuffing  from  the  cushions  round 
you  to  keep  you  warm,  and  you  must  wear  them  till  I  can  get 
you  another  cloak.  Comrades,"  he  went  on,  to  the  soldiers 
who  had  gathered  round  to  look  at  the  little  figure,  "this  is 
the  Countess  Stephanie  Woronski,  and  I  have  told  her  that 
you  will  all  be  very  kind  to  her  and  make  her  as  comfortable 
as  you  can  as  long  as  she  is  with  us." 

There  was  a  general  hum  of  assent,  and  when  the  child  went 
gravely  among  them,  shaking  hands  with  each,  many  an  eye 
was  moistened,  as  the  men's  thoughts  went  back  to  their  own 
homes,  and  to  little  sisters  or  nieces  whom  they  had  played 
with  there.  Soon  afterwards  the  colonel  came  by,  and  Julian, 
stepping  forward,  saluted  him  and  said : 

"  I  have  picked  up  a  little  girl  to-day,  Colonel." 

"  So  I  have  been  told,  Sergeant.     I  think  it  was  a  mistake, 


258  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

but  that  is  your  business.  Everyone  is  getting  weaker,  and 
you  are  not  likely  to  be  able  to  carry  her  for  long.  However, 
of  course,  you  can  take  her  if  you  like,  and  as  long  as  there 
are  horses  to  drag  the  ammunition  carts  you  can  put  her  in 
them  when  you  choose." 

"It  is  only  when  we  are  fighting  that  I  should  want  to 
stow  her  away.  She  does  not  weigh  more  than  a  knapsack, 
Colonel." 

"  Well;  just  as  you  like,  Sergeant.  If  you  wanted  to  take 
along  ten  children  I  could  not  say  no  to  you.  She  is  a  pretty 
little  thing,"  he  added,  as  he  went  nearer  to  her. 

' '  Yes,  Colonel.     She  says  that  she  is  a  countess. ' ' 

"  Poor  little  countess  !  "  the  colonel  said  tenderly.  "  She 
will  want  something  warmer  than  she  has  got  on  now." 

"  We  will  manage  that,  Colonel.  She  will  be  warm  enough 
as  long  as  she  is  on  the  march  with  me ;  but  as,  even  before 
that  fire,  she  has  not  enough  on  her,  we  will  contrive  some- 
thing. In  the  first  broken-down  baggage-waggon  that  we 
come  across,  we  are  pretty  sure  to  find  something  that  we  can 
fit  her  out  in." 

As  yet  the  pressure  of  hunger  had  not  come  severely  upon 
the  grenadiers.  In  the  fights  with  the  Russians  some  of  the 
horses  of  their  own  cavalry  and  artillery,  and  those  of  the 
enemy,  were  daily  killed,  besides  the  animals  which  dropped 
from  fatigue  were  at  once  shot  and  cut  up.  Moreover,  a  small 
ration  of  flour  was  still  served  out,  and  the  supper  that  night, 
if  rough,  was  ample.  Julian  sat  facing  the  fire  with  his  cloak 
open  and  the  child  nestling  up  close  to  him.  As  soon  as  sup- 
per was  over  half  a  dozen  of  the  soldiers  started  off. 

"  We  will  bring  back  a  fit-out,  Jules,  never  fear.  It  will  be 
strange  if  there  is  not  something  to  be  picked  up  in  the  snow 
between  us  and  the  next  corps." 

In  half  an  hour  they  came  in  again,  one  of  them  carrying  a 
bundle.  By  this  time  the  child  was  fast  asleep,  and,  taking 


WITH    THE    REAR-GUARD  259 

off  his  cloak  and  wrapping  it  round  her,  Julian  went  across  to 
them  on  the  other  side  of  the  fire. 

"What  have  you  got?  " 

"A  good  find,  Jules.  It  was  a  young  officer.  He  was 
evidently  coming  back  with  an  order,  but  his  horse  fell  dead 
under  him.  The  lad  had  lost  an  arm,  at  Borodino  I  expect, 
and  was  only  just  strong  enough  to  sit  his  horse.  We  think 
that  the  fall  on  the  hard  snow  stunned  him,  and  the  frost  soon 
finished  the  work.  He  had  been  well  fitted  out,  and  some  of 
his  things  will  do  for  the  little  one.  He  had  a  fur-lined  jacket 
which  will  wrap  her  up  grandly  from  head  to  foot.  Here  are 
a  pair  of  thick  flannel  drawers.  If  we  cut  them  off  at  the  knee 
you  can  tuck  all  her  little  clothes  inside  it,  and  they  will  button 
up  under  her  arms  and  come  down  over  her  feet.  She  will 
look  queer,  but  it  will  keep  her  warm.  This  pair  of  stockings 
will  pull  up  her  arms  to  her  shoulders,  and  here  is  another 
pair  that  was  in  his  valise.  They  are  knitted,  and  one  will 
pull  down  over  her  ears.  You  see  they  are  blue,  and  if  you 
cut  the  foot  off  and  tie  up  the  hole  it  will  look  like  a  fisher- 
man's cap,  and  the  other  will  go  over  her  head  and  tie  up  un- 
der her  chin." 

"Splendid,  comrade!  That  is  a  first-rate  fit-out.  I  am 
obliged  to  you  indeed." 

"You  need  not  talk  of  a  little  thing  like  that,  Sergeant. 
There  is  not  a  man  in  the  regiment  who  would  not  do  a  good 
deal  more  than  that  for  you  ;  besides  we  have  all  taken  to  the 
child.  She  will  be  quite  the  pet  of  the  regiment.  Moreover, 
the  lad's  valise  was  well  filled.  We  have  tossed  up  for  choice, 
and  each  of  us  has  got  something.  Henri  got  the  cloak,  and 
a  good  one  it  is.  I  had  the  next  choice,  and  I  took  his  blanket, 
which  is  a  double  one.  Jacques  had  the  horse  rug,  Ferron 
had  another  pair  of  drawers  and  his  gloves,  and  Pierre,  who 
has  got  a  small  foot,  took  his  boots.  So  we  have  all  done 
well." 


260  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

As  Julian  lay  down  with  his  hood  over  his  head  and  the  child 
held  closely  in  his  arms  under  his  cloak,  he  felt  strangely  warm 
and  comfortable,  and  breathed  a  prayer  that  he  might  be  spared 
to  carry  the  little  waif  he  had  rescued,  in  safety  across  the 
frontier. 

"  I  will  keep  her  with  me,"  he  said,  "  until  she  gets  a  bit 
bigger.  By  that  time  the  war  may  be  all  over,  and  I  will  send 
her  to  my  aunt,  if  I  dare  not  go  home  myself.  She  will  take 
care  of  her,  and  if  she  should  have  gone,  I  know  Frank  will 
do  the  best  he  can  for  the  child,  and  may  be  able,  through  the 
Russian  embassy,  to  send  her  back  to  her  friends." 

The  cold  was  so  intense  in  the  morning  that  the  child 
offered  no  objection  to  her  novel  habiliments.  Some  inches 
had  to  be  cut  from  the  bottom  of  the  jacket  to  keep  it  off  the 
ground,  and  the  strip  served  as  a  band  to  keep  it  close  round 
her  waist. 

"  It  is  too  big,"  she  said  a  little  fretfully. 

"  It  is  large,  Stephanie,"  Julian  said,  "but  then,  you  see, 
there  is  the  advantage  that  wrhen  you  like  you  can  slip  your 
arms  altogether  out  of  the  sleeves,  and  keep  them  as  warm  as  a 
toast  inside.  Now  you  get  on  my  back,  and  we  will  fasten 
you  more  comfortably  than  I  could  do  yesterday." 

This,  with  the  assistance  of  a  couple  of  soldiers,  was  done. 
Then,  putting  on  his  cloak  again,  Julian  fell  in  with  his  com- 
rades, and,  as  usual,  striking  up  a  merry  song,  in  which  the 
rest  at  once  joined,  continued  his  march. 

Day  passed  after  day.  The  Russians  pressed  hotly  on  the 
rear,  and  many  times  Ney's  corps  had  to  face  about  and  repel 
their  attacks.  Sometimes  when  the  fighting  was  likely  to  be 
serious  Julian  handed  his  charge  over  to  the  care  of  the  driver 
of  one  of  the  ammunition  carts,  but  as  a  rule  he  carried  her 
with  him,  for  she  objected  strongly  to  leaving  him.  On  the 
march  she  often  chose  to  be  carried  on  his  shoulder — a  strange 
little  figure,  with  the  high  fur  collar  of  the  jacket  standing  up 


1  ON  THE  MARCH  LITTLE  STEPHANIE  OFTEN  CHOSE  TO  BE  CARRIED 
ON  JULIAN'S  SHOULDER." 


WITH    THE    REAR-GUARD  261 

level  with  the  top  of  her  head,  and  a  yellow  curl  or  two  making 
its  way  through  the  opening  in  front.  She  soon  picked  up  the 
songs  that  were  most  often  sung,  and  her  shrill  little  voice 
joined  in.  She  was  now  a  prime  favourite  with  all  the  men. 

Food  became  scarcer  every  day.  The  cavalry  were  now  al- 
most wholly  dismounted,  the  horses  still  available  being  taken 
for  the  guns.  Among  the  divisions  in  front  the  disorganiza- 
tion was  great  indeed.  It  was  a  mob  rather  than  an  army, 
and  only  when  attacked  did  they  form  up,  and  with  sullen 
fury  drive  off  the  foe.  At  other  times  they  tramped  along 
silently,  ragged,  and  often  shoeless,  their  feet  wrapped  in  rough 
bandages.  Whenever  one  fell  from  weakness,  he  lay  there 
unnoticed,  save  that  sometimes  a  comrade  would,  in  answer  to 
his  entreaties  to  kill  him  rather  than  to  leave  him  to  the  mercy 
of  the  peasants,  put  his  musket  to  his  head  and  finish  him  at 
once.  No  one  straggled,  except  to  search  a  deserted  cottage 
on  the  line,  for  all  who  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  peasants — 
who  followed  the  army  like  wolves  after  a  wounded  stag — were 
either  put  to  death  by  atrocious  tortures,  or  stripped  and  left 
to  perish  by  cold.  All  the  sufferings  inflicted  by  the  army  in 
its  advance  upon  the  peasantry  were  now  repaid  an  hundred- 
fold, and  the  atrocities  perpetrated  upon  all  who  fell  into  their 
hands  were  so  terrible  that  Sir  Robert  Wilson  wrote  to  the 
Czar,  imploring  him  for  the  honour  of  the  country  to  put  a 
stop  to  them.  Alexander  at  once  issued  a  proclamation  of- 
fering the  reward  of  a  gold  piece  for  every  French  prisoner 
brought  in,  and  so  saved  the  lives  of  many  hundreds  of  these 
unfortunates.  In  the  French  army  itself  all  feelings  of  hu- 
manity were  also  obliterated.  The  men  fought  furiously 
among  themselves  for  any  scrap  of  food,  and  a  dead  horse 
was  often  the  centre  of  a  desperate  struggle.  Those  who  fell 
were  at  once  stripped  of  their  garments,  and  death  came  all 
the  sooner  to  put  an  end  to  their  sufferings.  The  authority 
of  the  officers  was  altogether  unheeded. 


ZOZ  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

Day  by  day  the  numbers  dwindled  away.  The  safety  of  the 
French  army  thus  far  was  chiefly  due  to  the  vacillation,  if  not 
the  absolute  treachery,  of  Kutusow.  Moving  on  by  roads 
well  supplied  with  provisions,  and  perfectly  acquainted  with 
the  movements  of  the  enemy,  he  was  able  to  outmarch  them, 
and  several  times  had  it  absolutely  in  his  power  to  completely 
overwhelm  the  broken  remains  of  Napoleon's  army.  But,  in 
spite  of  the  entreaties  of  the  generals  and  the  indignation  of 
the  army,  he  obstinately  refused  to  give  the  order.  The 
French  army  no  longer  travelled  by  a  single  road  ;  sometimes 
the  corps  were  separated  from  each  other  by  great  masses  of 
Russian  troops.  Numerous  detached  battles  were  fought;  but 
in  each  of  these  the  French  troops,  although  suffering  heavily, 
displayed  their  old  courage,  and  either  by  hard  fighting  cut 
their  way  through  obstacles,  or  managed  by  long  and  circuit- 
ous marches  to  evade  them. 

Napoleon's  plans,  which,  if  carried  out,  would  have  saved 
the  army,  were  brought  to  nought  by  the  incapacity  of  the 
generals  charged  with  the  duty.  The  vast  depots  and  stores 
that  had  been  formed  at  various  points  fell  successively  into 
the  hands  of  the  various  Russian  armies  now  operating  against 
the  French.  Bridges  of  vital  importance  on  the  line  of  retreat 
were  captured  and  destroyed,  and  repeated  defeats  inflicted 
upon  the  armies  that  should  have  joined  Napoleon  as  he  fell 
back.  Everywhere  fatal  blunders  were  made  by  the  French 
commanders,  and  it  seemed  as  if  Heaven  had  determined  to 
overthrow  every  combination  formed  by  Napoleon's  sagacity, 
in  order  that  the  destruction  of  his  army  should  be  complete. 
The  army  of  Macdonald,  that  should  have  joined  him,  was 
itself  warmly  pressed  by  the  forces  of  Wittgenstein  and  the 
garrison  of  Riga,  which  had  been  greatly  reinforced.  Schwar- 
zenberg,  with  the  Austrian  army,  fell  back  without  striking  a 
blow  ;  for  the  Austrians,  in  view  of  the  misfortunes  that  had 
befallen  Napoleon,  were  preparing  to  cast  off  their  alliance 


263 

with  him ;  and  to  aid  in  his  discomfiture,  Wittgenstein  was 
ordered  by  Alexander  to  withdraw  at  once  from  his  operations 
against  Macdonald  and  to  march  upon  Borizov  on  the  Bere- 
zina, the  point  towards  which  Napoleon  was  making ;  while 
Admiral  Tchichagow,  with  the  army  of  the  Danube,  that  had 
been  engaged  in  watching  the  Austrians,  was  to  march  in  the 
same  direction,  and  also  interpose  to  cut  off  the  French  retreat. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

KEY'S    RETREAT 

NEY'S  corps,  as  usual,  had  remained  at  Smolensk  as  the 
rear-guard  of  the  army.  The  rest  and  abundance  of  food 
did  much  to  restore  their  morale.  Ney  had  utilized  the  time 
they  remained  there  to  see  that  the  arms  were  examined,  and 
new  ones  served  out  from  the  magazines  in  place  of  those 
found  to  be  defective.  A  certain  amount  of  clothing  was  also 
served  out  to  the  troops,  and  discipline  restored.  The 
numerous  stragglers  belonging  to  the  divisions  that  had  gone 
on  were  incorporated  with  his  regiments,  and  all  prepared  for 
the  toilsome  and  dangerous  march  before  them.  They  be- 
lieved that  at  Krasnoi  they  should  come  up  with  the  main 
body  of  the  army.  But  Krasnoi  had  already  fallen,  and  the 
enemy  were  mustering  thickly  along  the  road. 

"We  have  a  rough  time  before  us,  Jules,"  one  of  the 
veterans  said.  "I  should  not  say  as  much  to  any  of  the 
youngsters,  but  your  spirits  seem  proof  against  troubles.  You 
see,  in  the  first  place,  we  know  really  nothing  of  what  is  going 
on.  For  the  last  four  days  we  have  heard  the  sound  of  cannon 
in  the  air.  It  is  a  long  way  off,  and  one  feels  it  rather  than 
hears  it ;  but  there  has  certainly  been  heavy  and  almost  con- 
stant fighting.  Well,  that  shows  that  there  are  Russians 


2G4  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

ahead  of  us.  Never  was  I  in  a  country  before  where  we  could 
get  no  news.  It  is  all  guess-work.  There  may  be  50,000 
Russians  already  between  us  and  Davoust's  division,  and  there 
may  be  only  a  handful  of  Cossacks.  It  is  a  toss-up.  Nothing 
seems  to  go  as  one  would  expect  in  this  country.  We  are  at  a 
big  disadvantage ;  for  the  skill  of  our  generals  is  thrown  away 
when  they  are  working  altogether  in  the  dark. 

"  Do  you  know,  this  reminds  me  a  good  deal  of  our  pursuit 
of  your  army  to  Corunna ;  only  there  I  was  one  of  the  hun- 
ters, while  here  we  are  the  hunted.  When  we  entered  the 
towns  they  had  quitted  we  heard  that  they  were  altogether 
disorganized — a  mere  rabble  of  fugitives.  But  whenever  we 
came  up  to  them  they  turned  round  and  fought  like  their  own 
bull-dogs ;  and  never  did  they  make  a  stronger  stand  than 
they  did  when  we  came  up  at  last  and  caught  them  at  Corunna. 
There  was  the  army  we  had  been  told  was  a  disorganized  mass 
standing  in  as  good  order,  and  with  as  firm  a  front,  as  if  they 
had  but  just  landed  from  their  ships.  And  it  was  not  in  ap- 
pearance only.  They  had  16,000  men;  we  had  20,000. 
They  had  only  six  or  eight  cannon,  having  embarked  the  re- 
mainder on  board  their  ships ;  we  had  over  fifty  guns ;  and 
with  Soult  in  command  of  us,  there  was  not  a  man  but  regarded 
the  affair  as  being  as  good  as  over,  and  considered  that  the 
whole  of  them  would  fall  into  our  hands.  Well,  it  wasn't  so. 
We  were  on  higher  ground  than  they  were,  and  soon  silenced 
their  little  guns ;  and  the  village  of  Elvira,  in  front  of  their 
position,  was  carried  without  difficulty. 

"  Suddenly  their  reserve  marched  round,  fell  on  our  flank, 
and  threatened  our  great  battery  that  was  in  position  there. 
They  drove  us  out  of  Elvira,  and  for  a  time  held  us  in  check 
altogether.  The  fight  round  there  became  very  hot ;  but  they 
pushed  forward  and  continued  to  attack  us  so  desperately  that 
they  partly  rolled  our  left  up,  and  if  it  had  not  been  that  night 
set  in — the  fight  had  not  begun  until  two  o'clock — things 


NEY'S  RETREAT  265 

would  have  gone  very  badly  with  us,  for  we  were  falling  back 
in  a  great  deal  of  confusion.  There  was  a  river  behind  us 
with  but  a  single  bridge  by  which  we  could  retreat,  and  I  can 
tell  you  we  were  glad  indeed  when  the  English  ceased  to  press 
us  and  the  firing  stopped.  All  night  their  picket-fires  burned, 
and  we  were  expecting  to  renew  the  battle  in  the  morning, 
when  we  found  that  their  position  was  deserted,  and  that  they 
were  embarking  on  board  their  shi[>s.  That  shows  that  al- 
though troops  may  be  greatly  disorganized  in  a  retreat  they  do 
not  fight  any  the  worse  when  you  come  up  to  them. 

"  The  English  had  practically  no  guns,  they  had  no  cavalry, 
they  were  inferior  in  numbers,  and  yet  they  beat  us  off.  Their 
back  was  against  a  wall.  You  see,  they  knew  that  if  they 
didn't  do  it  there  was  nothing  but  a  French  prison  before 
them.  It  is  the  same  thing  with  us,  lad;  we  don't  want  to 
fight — we  want  to  get  away  if  we  can.  But  if  we  have  got  to 
fight  we  shall  do  it  better  than  ever,  for  defeat  would  mean 
death ;  and  if  a  soldier  has  got  to  die,  he  would  a  thousand 
times  rather  die  by  a  musket-ball  or  a  bayonet-thrust  than  by 
cold  and  hunger.  There  is  one  thing  in  our  favour,  the  coun- 
try we  have  to  cross  now  is  for  the  most  part  forest ;  so  we 
shall  have  wood  for  our  bivouacs,  and  if  we  have  to  leave  the 
road  it  will  cover  our  movements  and  give  us  a  chance  of 
making  our  way  round  the  enemy.  You  will  find  that  child 
a  heavy  burden,  Jules.  I  do  not  blame  you  for  bringing  her 
along  with  you,  but  when  things  come  to  such  a  pass  as  this  a 
man  needs  every  ounce  of  his  strength. ' ' 

"  I  am  aware  of  that,"  Jules  said,  looking  at  Stephanie  as 
she  stood  laughing  and  talking  with  some  of  the  soldiers  at  a 
fire  close  by;  "  but  I  believe  that  I  shall  save  her.  I  cannot 
help  thinking  she  would  never  have  given  that  little  cry  which 
met  my  ears  as  I  passed  by  the  broken  carriage,  if  it  had  not 
been  meant  that  she  should  be  saved.  To  all  appearance  she 
was  well-nigh  insensible,  and  she  would  have  suffered  no  more 


266  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

pain.  It  would  have  been  a  cruel  instead  of  a  kind  action  to 
save  her,  when  she  was  already  well-nigh  dead.  I  firmly  be- 
lieve that,  whoever  falls  during  the  struggle  that  may  be  before 
us,  that  child  will  get  through  safely  and  be  restored  to  her 
parents.  I  don't  say  that  I  think  that  I  myself  shall  go 
through  it,  but  my  death  does  not  necessarily  mean  hers.  If 
she  falls  into  the  hands  of  the  peasants,  and  tells  them  who 
she  is,  they  may  take  care  of  her  for  the  sake  of  getting  a 
reward,  and  she  may  in  time  be  restored  to  her  friends.  At 
any  rate,  as  long  as  I  have  strength  to  carry  her  I  shall  assur- 
edly do  so  ;  when  I  cannot,  I  shall  wrap  her  in  my  cloak  and 
shall  lie  down  to  die,  bidding  her  sit  wrapped  up  in  it  till  she 
sees  some  Russians  approaching.  She  will  then  speak  to  them 
in  their  own  language  and  tell  them  who  she  is,  and  that  they 
will  get  a  great  reward  from  her  parents  if  they  take  care  of 
her  and  send  her  to  them." 

"  You  are  a  good  fellow,  comrade — a  man  with  a  heart.  I 
trust  that,  whoever  gets  out  of  this  alive,  you  may  be  one  of 
them.  To  most  of  us  it  matters  little  one  way  or  the  other. 
We  have  had  our  share  of  good  luck,  and  cannot  expect  that 
the  bullets  will  always  avoid  us.  Now  let  us  turn  in,  for  we 
march  at  daybreak.  At  any  rate,  we  may  think  ourselves 
lucky  to  have  had  five  days'  rest  here,  with  no  more  trouble 
than  was  needed  to  keep  the  Russians  from  occupying  that 
place  across  the  river." 

Julian  called  Stephanie  to  him,  lay  down  by  the  side  of  his 
comrade  near  the  fire,  and  was  soon  fast  asleep.  They  were 
under  arms  before  daylight  broke,  and  in  a  few  minutes  were 
on  the  way.  They  had  marched  but  half  a  mile  when  a  series 
of  tremendous  explosions  were  heard — the  magazines  left  behind 
at  Smolensk  had  been  blown  up,  together  with  such  buildings 
as  the  fire  had  before  spared.  112  guns  had  been  left  behind, 
there  being  only  sufficient  horses  remaining  to  draw  twelve. 
The  fighting  force  was  reduced  to  7000  combatants,  but  there 


KEY'S  RETREAT  267 

were  almost  as  many  stragglers,  more  or  less  armed,  with  them. 
The  march  led  by  the  side  of  the  Dnieper,  and  they 
bivouacked  that  night  at  Korodnia.  The  next  day  they  ar- 
rived at  a  point  within  four  miles  of  Krasnoi,  where,  on  a  hill, 
fronted  by  a  deep  ravine,  12,000  Russians,  with  forty  guns, 
had  taken  up  their  position. 

A  thick  mist  covered  the  lower  ground,  and  the  advance 
of  the  French  was  not  perceived  by  the  enemy  until  they  were 
within  a  short  distance  of  its  crest.  Then  the  forty  guns 
poured  a  storm  of  grape  into  the  leading  regiment.  The  sur- 
vivors, cheering  loudly,  rushed  forward  at  the  batteries,  and 
had  almost  reached  them,  when  a  heavy  mass  of  Russian  in- 
fantry flung  themselves  upon  them  with  the  bayonet,  and  after 
a  short  but  desperate  struggle  hurled  them  down  the  hill  again. 
The  Russian  cavalry  charged  them  on  the  slope,  and  swept 
through  their  shattered  ranks.  Ney,  ignorant  that  Napoleon 
had  already  left  Krasnoi,  and  that  the  whole  Russian  army 
barred  his  way,  made  another  effort  to  force  a  passage.  He 
planted  his  twelve  guns  on  a  height  above  the  ravines,  and 
sent  forward  several  companies  of  sappers  and  miners  to  en- 
deavour to  carry  the  battery  again.  Gallantly  they  made  their 
way  up  the  hill  through  a  storm  of  fire.  But  the  Russians 
again  fell  upon  them  in  great  force,  and  few  indeed  were  en- 
abled to  make  the  descent  of  the  hill  and  rejoin  their  com- 
rades. 

Darkness  had  set  in  now,  and  Ney,  finding  it  impossible  to 
make  his  way  further,  and  feeling  sure  that  had  the  Emperor 
been  still  at  Krasnoi  he  would  have  sent  a  force  to  his  assist- 
ance, fell  back  into  the  forest.  His  position  was  a  desperate 
one ;  the  scanty  supply  of  provisions  with  which  they  had 
started  was  exhausted,  and  they  were  in  an  unknown  country, 
surrounded  by  foes,  without  a  guide,  without  carriage  for  the 
wounded,  without  an  idea  of  the  direction  in  which  to  march. 
The  Russian  general  sent  in  two  flags  of  truce,  offering  him 


2G8  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

terms  of  capitulation  which  would  save  the  life  of  himself  and 
of  his  brave  soldiers.  Ney,  however,  was  not  yet  conquered. 
He  detained  the  messengers  with  the  flags  of  truce,  lest  they 
might  take  news  to  their  general  of  the  position  of  his  force, 
and  then,  with  all  capable  of  the  exertion,  continued  his 
march.  They  passed  in  silence  within  half  a  mile  of  the  Cos- 
sack fires,  and  reaching  a  village  on  the  Dnieper,  attempted 
the  passage ;  but  the  ice  broke  under  the  first  gun,  and  it  was 
necessary  to  abandon  the  whole  of  the  artillery  and  every 
vehicle. 

Before  the  entire  body  had  passed,  the  Cossacks,  attracted 
by  the  sound  made  by  the  troops  marching  across  the  ice. 
arrived  and  captured  several  hundred  prisoners,  for  the  most 
part  stragglers.  In  a  village  further  on  they  found  temporary 
rest,  surprising  a  few  Cossacks  and  capturing  their  horses, 
which  afforded  a  ration  to  the  troops ;  but  on  the  next  morn- 
ing a  great  swarm  of  Cossacks  appeared  on  the  plain  and 
opened  a  heavy  artillery  fire.  Unable  to  advance  in  that 
direction  the  column  turned  towards  a  wood  on  its  left,  but  as 
it  was  about  to  enter  the  refuge,  a  battery  concealed  there 
poured  a  volley  of  grape  into  them.  The  column  hesitated, 
but  Ney  dashed  to  the  front,  and  they  rushed  forward  and 
drove  the  battery  from  the  wood.  All  day  they  continued 
their  march  through  the  forest,  until,  coming  upon  a  village, 
they  obtained  a  few  hours'  rest  and  shelter  and  some  food. 

It  had  been  a  terribly  heavy  day,  for  the  snow  here  was  not, 
as  on  the  road,  trampled  down,  and  the  marching  was  very 
heavy.  Julian  had  carried  the  child  the  greater  part  of  the 
day.  The  grenadiers  had  not  been  actively  engaged,  as  they 
formed  the  rear-guard,  and  several  times  his  friend  the  ser- 
geant relieved  him  of  Stephanie's  weight. 

"  This  is  better  luck  than  I  looked  for,  comrade,"  he  said 
as  they  cooked  the  food  they  had  found  in  the  village,  filled 
their  pipes,  and  sat  down  by  a  blazing  fire.  "  Peste  !  I  was 


NEY'S  RETREAT  269 

frightened  as  we  crossed  the  river  last  night.  We  knew  the 
ice  was  not  strong,  and  if  it  had  given  way  as  we  crossed,  not 
a  man  upon  it  would  have  reached  the  other  side.  However, 
it  turned  out  for  the  best,  and  here  we  are  again,  and  I  believe 
that  we  shall  somehow  get  through  after  all.  Ney  always  has 
good  luck.  There  is  never  any  hesitation  about  him.  He 
sees  what  has  to  be  done  and  does  it.  That  is  the  sort  of  man 
for  a  leader.  I  would  rather  serve  under  a  man  who  does 
what  he  thinks  best  at  once,  even  if  it  turns  out  wrong,  than 
one  who  hesitates  and  wants  time  to  consider.  Ney  has  been 
called  '  the  child  of  victory,'  and  I  believe  in  his  star.  Any- 
one else  would  have  surrendered  after  that  fight  yesterday,  and 
yet  you  see  how  he  has  got  out  of  the  scrape  so  far.  I  believe 
that  Ney  will  cross  the  frontier  safe,  even  if  he  carries  with 
him  only  a  corporal's  guard." 

Julian  was  too  exhausted  to  talk,  and  every  moment  of  rest 
was  precious.  Therefore,  after  smoking  for  a  short  time,  he 
lay  down  to  sleep.  At  daybreak  the  next  morning  the  march 
through  the  forest  continued.  When  from  time  to  time  they 
approached  its  edge,  the  Cossacks  could  be  seen  hovering 
thickly  on  the  plain  ;  but  they  dared  not  venture  into  the 
wood,  which  was  so  close  that  their  horses  would  be  worse 
than  useless  to  them.  At  three  o'clock,  when  within  twenty 
miles  of  Orsza,  two  Polish  officers  volunteered  to  push  ahead 
to  that  town  on  some  peasant's  horses  that  had  been  brought 
from  the  village  where  they  had  slept  to  acquaint  the  com- 
mander of  any  French  force  that  might  be  there  with  their 
situation,  and  to  pray  for  assistance.  After  a  halt  of  an  hour 
the  column  pushed  on  again.  When  they  had  marched 
another  twelve  miles  the  forest  ceased.  Night  had  long  since 
fallen,  and  a  thick  fog  hung  over  the  ground.  This  served  to 
hide  their  movements,  but  rendered  it  difficult  in  the  extreme 
for  them  to  maintain  the  right  direction. 

Their  way  led  over  a  steep  hill,  which  was  climbed  with 


270  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

great  difficulty  by  the  exhausted  troops ;  but  on  reaching  the 
summit  they  saw  to  their  horror  a  long  line  of  bivouac  fires 
illuminating  the  plain  in  front  of  them.  Even  the  most  san- 
guine felt  despair  for  a  moment.  Ney  himself  stood  for  a  few 
minutes  speechless,  then  he  turned  to  his  men. 

"  There  is  but  one  thing  to  do,  comrades,"  he  said.  "  It 
is  death  to  stay  here.  Better  a  thousand  times  meet  it  as  sol- 
diers. Let  us  advance  in  absolute  silence,  and  then  rush 
upon  our  enemies  and  strive  to  burst  our  way  through.  They 
cannot  know  that  we  are  so  near,  and,  aided  by  the  surprise, 
we  may  force  a  passage.  If  we  fail,  we  will,  before  we  die, 
sell  our  lives  so  dearly  that  our  enemies  will  long  bear  us  in 
remembrance." 

In  silence  the  column  marched  down  the  hill.  No  sound 
proclaimed  that  the  enemy  had  taken  the  alarm.  When  with- 
in charging  distance,  the  line  levelled  its  bayonets  and  rushed 
forward  to  the  fires.  To  their  stupefaction  and  relief,  they 
found  no  foe  to  oppose  them.  The  fires  had  been  lighted  by 
order  of  the  Cossack  general  to  make  them  believe  that  an 
army  lay  between  them  and  Orsza,  and  so  cause  them  to  ar- 
rest their  march.  Half  an  hour  was  given  to  the  men  to  warm 
themselves  by  the  fires,  then  the  march  was  resumed.  Three 
miles  further  the  sound  of  a  large  body  of  men  was  heard, 
then  came  a  challenge  in  French,  "  Qui  vive  /"  A  hoarse 
shout  of  delight  burst  from  the  weary  force,  and  a  minute 
later  they  were  shaking  hands  with  their  comrades  of  Davoust's 
division.  The  Polish  messengers  had,  in  spite  of  the  numer- 
ous Cossacks  on  the  plains,  succeeded  in  reaching  Orsza  safely. 
The  most  poignant  anxiety  reigned  there  as  to  the  safety  of 
Ney's  command  ;  and  Davoust,  on  hearing  the  welcome  news, 
instantly  called  his  men  under  arms  and  advanced  to  meet  them. 

The  delight  on  both  sides  was  extreme,  and  Ney's  soldiers 
were  supplied  with  food  that  Davoust  had  ordered  his  men  to 
put  in  their  haversacks.  A  halt  of  three  or  four  hours  was 


KEY'S  RETREAT  271 

ordered,  for  the  column  had  been  marching  for  eighteen  hours, 
and -could  go  no  further.  At  daybreak  they  completed  the  re- 
maining eight  miles  into  Orsza.  Napoleon  himself  was  there. 
Here  they  rested  for  five  days.  Food  was  abundant,  and 
arms  were  distributed  to  those  who  needed  them.  Ammuni- 
tion was  served  out,  and  Napoleon  employed  himself  with 
great  energy  in  reorganizing  his  forces  and  in  distributing  the 
stragglers, — who  were  almost  as  numerous  as  those  with  the 
standards, — among  them.  Ney's  corps  was  now  too  small  for 
separate  service,  and  henceforth  was  united  to  that  of  Davoust. 
The  halt  did  wonders  for  the  men.  They  were  billeted  among 
the  houses  of  the  town,  and  warmth  and  abundant  food  re- 
vived their  strength.  They  looked  forward  with  some  confi- 
dence to  reaching  the  spot  where  great  magazines  had  been 
prepared,  and  where  they  would  take  up  their  quarters  until 
the  campaign  recommenced  in  the  spring. 

Napoleon's  plans,  however,  were  all  frustrated  by  the  in- 
conceivable blunders  and  follies  of  the  generals,  to  whom  were 
entrusted  the  task  of  carrying  them  out.  Everywhere,  in  turn, 
they  suffered  themselves  to  be  deceived  and  caught  napping. 
The  important  positions  entrusted  to  them  were  wrested  from 
their  hands.  Minsk,  where  there  were  supplies  for  the  whole 
army  for  months,  had  been  captured,  and  now  Borizow, 
where  the  passage  of  the  Berezina  was  to  be  made,  was  capt- 
ured almost  without  resistance.  Well  might  Napoleon  when 
he  heard  the  news  exclaim  in  despair  : 

"  Will  there  never  be  an  end  to  this  blundering  ?  " 
Great  as  the  cold  had  been  before,  it  increased  day  by  day 
in  severity.  Happily  for  the  French,  Kutusow,  with  the  main 
Russian  army,  was  far  in  their  rear,  and  they  might  well  hope, 
when  joined  by  Victor,  who  was  to  meet  them  near  the  Bere- 
zina with  his  division,  to  be  able  to  defeat  the  two  Russian 
armies  that  barred  their  way,  either  force  being  inferior  to 
their  own. 


272  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

Stephanie  had  borne  the  march  wonderfully  well.  Since 
leaving  Smolensk,  she  had  had  no  walking  to  do.  The  cold 
was  so  great  that  she  was  glad  to  remain  during  the  day  snug- 
gled up  beneath  Julian's  cloak.  The  marching  songs  had 
ceased.  Hunted  as  they  were,  silence  was  imperative,  and 
indeed  the  distances  traversed  and  the  hardships  endured  were 
so  great  that  even  Julian  felt  that  he  had  no  longer  strength  to 
raise  his  voice.  Few  words  indeed  were  spoken  on  the  march, 
for  the  bitter  cold  seemed  to  render  talking  almost  impossible. 

Being  in  ignorance  of  the  forces  concentrating  to  cut  him 
off,  Napoleon  ordered  Oudinot's  corps  to  march  forward  to 
secure  the  passage  at  Borizow,  and  Victor  that  at  Studenski, 
but  Tchichagow  arrived  at  Borizow  before  Oudinot,  and  began 
to  cross  the  bridge  there.  Oudinot,  however,  fell  upon  him 
fiercely  before  his  whole  army  had  passed  over,  and  the  Rus- 
sians drew  back  across  the  bridge,  destroying  it  behind  them. 
Napoleon  on  his  arrival  found  the  Russian  army  of  the  Danube 
drawn  up  on  the  opposite  bank  ready  to  dispute  his  passage. 
He  at  once  sent  bodies  of  troops  up  and  down  the  river  to 
deceive  the  Russian  admiral  as  to  the  point  at  which  he  in- 
tended to  force  a  passage.  Victor  had  already  come  in  con- 
tact with  Wittgenstein  and  had  fought  a  drawn  battle  with 
him,  and  now  moved  to  join  Napoleon  at  the  spot  decided 
upon  for  the  passage  of  the  Berezina,  near  Studenski. 

On  the  evening  of  the  25th  of  November  Napoleon  arrived 
there  with  Oudinot's  corps.  The  engineers  immediately 
commenced  the  construction  of  two  bridges,  and  the  cavalry 
and  light  infantry  crossed  the  river  to  reconnoitre  the  enemy, 
and  some  batteries  were  established  to  cover  the  work.  Mate- 
rials were  very  scarce,  and  it  was  not  until  noon  on  the  follow- 
ing day  that  the  bridges  were  reported  practicable.  Oudinot's 
corps  crossed  at  once,  but  the  rest  of  the  troops  passed  over  in 
great  confusion,  which  was  increased  by  the  frequent  break- 
ing down  of  the  bridges.  Victor  took  up  a  position  to  cover 


NEY'S  RETREAT  273 

the  rear,  but  one  of  his  divisions  was  cut  off  by  Wittgenstein, 
and  eight  thousand  men  forced  to  surrender.  The  main  body 
of  the  French  army,  completely  panic-stricken  by  the  thun- 
der of  guns  in  their  rear,  crowded  down  in  a  confused  mass. 
The  passage  was  frequently  arrested  by  fresh  breakages  in  the 
bridges  ;  hundreds  were  pushed  off  into  the  river  by  the  press- 
ure from  behind  ;  others  attempted  to  swim  across,  but  few 
of  these  succeeded  in  gaining  the  opposite  bank,  the  rest 
being  overpowered  by  the  cold  or  overwhelmed  by  the  float- 
ing masses  of  ice.  Thousands  perished  by  drowning.  By  the 
28th  the  greater  part  of  the  French  army  had  crossed,  Vic- 
tor's corps  covering  the  passage  and  repulsing  the  efforts  of 
Wittgenstein  up  to  that  time  ;  then  being  unable  to  hold  the 
Russians  at  bay  any  longer  he  marched  down  to  the  bridge, 
forcing  a  way  through  the  helpless  crowd  that  still  blocked  the 
approaches. 

Altogether  the  loss  of  the  French  amounted  to  28,000  men, 
of  whom  16,000  were  taken  prisoners. 

On  the  same  day  Tchichagow  attacked  in  front  with  his 
army,  but,  animated  by  Napoleon's  presence,  and  by  despair, 
the  French  fought  so  fiercely  that  he  was  repulsed  with  much 
loss,  and  the  way  lay  open  to  Wilna.  The  intensity  of  the 
cold  increased  daily,  and  the  sufferings  of  the  army  were 
proportionately  great.  On  the  5th  of  December  Napoleon 
handed  over  the  wreck  of  the  army,  now  reduced  to  45,000 
men,  to  Murat ;  while  the  Viceroy  was  to  have  the  chief 
command  of  the  infantry, 

By  the  time  they  reached  the  Berezina,  Davoust's  corps 
had  been  diminished  to  a  few  thousand  men,  and  on  Victor 
taking  the  post  of  rear-guard,  they  were  relieved  from  that 
arduous  task,  and  were  among  the  first  who  crossed  the  fatal 
bridge.  From  there  to  Wilna  there  was  comparatively  little 
fighting.  Kutusow's  army  was  still  far  behind,  and  although 
Wittgenstein  and  the  Admiral  hung  on  their  rear,  the  French 


27-4  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

army  still  inspired  sufficient  respect  to  deter  them  from 
attacking  it  in  force. 

As  the  army  approached  the  Berezina,  scarce  a  hundred 
men  of  the  Grenadiers  of  the  Rhone  still  hung  together,  and 
these  were  so  feeble  that  they  staggered  rather  than  marched 
along.  Rations  had  ceased  to  be  issued,  and  the  troops 
depended  solely  upon  the  flesh  of  the  horses  of  the  waggons 
conveying  the  military  chests,  treasure,  and  artillery,  and 
from  what  they  could  gather  in  the  deserted  villages.  So 
desperate  were  they  now  that  even  the  fear  of  falling  into  the 
hands  of  the  peasants  was  insufficient  to  deter  them  from  turn- 
ing off,  whenever  a  village  appeared  in  sight,  in  the  hope  of 
finding  food,  or,  if  that  failed,  at  least  a  few  hours'  shelter.  Not 
one  of  them  was  in  such  good  condition  as  Julian,  who  had 
been  sustained  not  only  by  his  naturally  high  spirits,  but  by 
the  prattle  of  the  child,  and  by  the  added  warmth  of  her 
sleeping  close  to  him  at  night. 

She  now,  for  the  most  part,  trotted  beside  him,  and  it  was 
only  when  very  tired  that  the  child  would  allow  him  to  take 
her  up.  She  herself  had  never  been  short  of  food,  for  how- 
ever small  the  portion  obtained,  enough  for  her  was  always 
set  aside  before  it  was  touched.  One  day  Julian  had,  with 
some  of  his  comrades,  entered  a  village.  The  others  had  in- 
sisted on  lying  down  for  a  sleep,  after  devouring  a  little  food 
they  were  fortunate  enough  to  find  in  one  of  the  houses. 
Julian's  efforts  to  induce  them  to  continue  the  march  were  in 
vain.  They  lighted  a  huge  fire  on  a  hearth  with  wood  ob- 
tained by  breaking  up  some  of  the  doors,  and  declared  that 
they  would  be  warm  for  once,  whatever  came  of  it.  The 
column  was  already  some  distance  off,  and  night  was  closing 
in.  Julian  therefore  started  alone.  He  was  carrying  the 
child  now,  and  for  an  hour  he  kept  on  his  way.  Still  there 
were  no  signs  of  a  road,  and  he  at  last  became  convinced  that 
he  must  have  gone  in  the  wrong  direction.  He  walked  for 


NEY'S  RETREAT  275 

half  an  hour  longer,  and  then  coming  upon  a  small  hut,  he  at 
once  determined  to  pass  the  night  there. 

Laying  the  sleeping  child  down,  he  covered  her  over  with 
his  cloak.  Then  he  broke  up  some  woodwork,  cut  a  portion  of 
it  into  small  pieces,  mixed  the  contents  of  a  cartridge  with  a 
little  snow  and  placed  it  among  them,  and  then  drew  the 
charge  from  his  musket,  put  a  little  powder  into  it,  and  dis- 
charged it  into  the  heap.  In  a  few  minutes  a  bright  fire  was 
blazing,  and  taking  the  child  in  his  arms,  he  lay  down  before 
it,  and  was  soon  asleep.  He  was  awakened  some  time  after- 
wards by  a  strange  noise.  He  sprang  up  at  once,  threw  some 
fresh  wood  on  the  embers,  and,  grasping  his  musket,  stood 
listening.  In  a  minute  the  noise  was  renewed  ;  something 
was  scratching  at  the  door,  and  a  moment  later  he  heard  a 
pattering  of  feet  overhead.  Then  came  a  low  whimper  and  a 
snarl,  and  the  truth  at  once  rushed  upon  him.  He  was  sur- 
rounded by  wolves. 

For  a  long  time  the  march  of  the  army  had  been  accom- 
panied by  these  creatures.  Driven  from  the  forest  by  cold 
and  hunger,  and  scenting  blood  from  afar,  they,  had  hung 
upon  the  skirts  of  the  army,  feasting  on  the  bones  of  the 
horses  and  the  bodies  of  the  dead.  Julian  examined  the  door.  • 
It  was  a  strong  one,  and  there  was  no  fear  of  their  making  an 
entry  there.  The  roof,  too,  seemed  solid ;  and  the  window, 
which  was  without  glass,  had  a  heavy  wooden  shutter. 
Hoping  that  by  morning  the  wolves,  finding  that  they  could 
not  enter,  would  make  off,  Julian  lay  down  by  the  fire  again, 
and  slept  for  some  hours.  When  he  woke  daylight  was 
streaming  in  through  a  crack  in  the  shutter.  On  looking 
through  this  and  through  the  chinks  of  the  door,  he  saw  to 
his  dismay  that  the  wolves  were  still  there.  Some  were  sitting 
watching  the  house ;  others  were  prowling  about.  It  was 
clear  that  they  had  no  intention  whatever  of  leaving.  The 
child  had  been  roused  by  his  movements. 


276  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"Stephanie  wants  breakfast,"  she  said  decidedly,  as  he 
broke  up  some  more  wood  and  rekindled  the  fire. 

"  I  am  afraid,  dear,  you  will  have  to  wait,"  he  said.  "  I 
have  not  got  any  to  give  you. ' ' 

"  Let  us  go  and  get  some,"  she  said,  standing  up. 

"I  would,  Stephanie;  but  there  are  some  wolves  outside, 
and  we  can't  go  until  they  move." 

"  Wolves  are  bad  beasts.  Stephanie  was  out  riding  in  the 
sleigh  with  papa,  when  they  came  out  from  a  wood  and  ran 
after  us,  and  they  would  have  killed  us  if  the  horses  had  not 
been  very  fast.  Papa  shot  some  of  them,  but  the  others  did 
not  seem  to  mind,  and  were  close  behind  when  we  got  home, 
where  the  men  came  out  with  forks  and  axes,  and  then  they 
ran  away.  Stephanie  will  wait  for  her  breakfast." 

Julian  thought  for  some  time,  and,  then  going  to  the  win- 
dow, opened  the  shutters  and  began  to  fire  at  the  wolves. 
Several  were  killed.  They  were  at  once  torn  to  pieces  by 
their  companions,  who  then  withdrew  to  a  safe  distance,  and 
sat  down  to  watch.  Julian  had  not  even  hoped  that  it  would 
be  otherwise.  Had  he  waited,  it  was  possible  that  they  would 
at  last  leave  the  hut  and  go  off  in  the  track  of  the  army ;  but 
even  in  that  case,  he  would  not,  he  felt,  be  able  to  overtake  it 
alone,  for,  weak  as  he  was,  he  felt  unequal  to  any  great  exer- 
tion, and  he  and  his  charge  might  be  devoured  by  these  or 
other  wolves,  long  before  he  came  up  with  the  column,  or 
they  might  be  killed  by  Cossacks  or  by  peasants.  The  last 
were  the  most  merciless  enemies,  for  death  at  their  hands 
would  be  slower  and  more  painful  than  at  the  hands  of  the 
wolves,  but  at  least  the  child  might  be  saved,  and  it  was  in 
hopes  of  attracting  attention  that  he  opened  fire.  He  con- 
tinued therefore  to  discharge  his  gun  at  intervals,  and  to  his 
great  satisfaction  saw  in  the  afternoon  a  number  of  peasants 
approaching.  The  wolves  at  once  made  off. 

"Stephanie,"    he  said,    "there  are  some  of  your  people 


KEY'S  RETREAT  277 

coming.  They  will  soon  be  here,  and  you  must  tell  them 
who  you  are,  and  ask  them  to  send  you  to  your  father,  and 
tell  them  that  he  will  give  them  lots  of  money  for  bringing 
you  back  to  him." 

"  Yes,"  the  child  said,  "  and  he  will  thank  you  very,  very 
much  for  having  been  so  good  to  me. ' ' 

"  I  am  afraid,  Stephanie,  that  I  shall  not  go  back  with  you. 
The  people  kill  the  French  whenever  they  take  them." 

"  But  you  are  not  French ;  you  are  English,"  she  said,  in- 
dignantly. "  Besides,  the  French  are  not  all  bad  ;  they  were 
very  good  to  me." 

"  I  am  afraid,  dear,  that  it  will  make  very  little  difference 
to  them  my  being  an  Englishman.  They  will  see  that  I  am 
in  French  uniform,  and  will  regard  me  as  an  enemy  just  as  if 
I  were  French." 

"  I  will  not  let  them  hurt  you,"  she  said  sturdily.  "  They 
are  serfs,  and  when  I  tell  them  who  I  am  they  will  obey  me, 
for  if  they  don't  I  will  tell  them  that  my  father  will  have  them 
all  flogged  to  death." 

"Don't  do  that,  dear.  You  are  a  long  way  from  your 
father's  house,  and  they  may  not  know  his  name ;  so  do  not 
talk  about  flogging,  but  only  about  the  money  they  will  get  if 
they  take  you  back.  They  are  poor  men,  they  have  had  a 
great  deal  to  suffer,  and  have  been  made  very  savage ;  so  it  is 
best  for  you  to  speak  kindly  and  softly  to  them.  Now,  dear, 
let  us  turn  down  that  collar,  so  that  they  can  see  your  face, 
and  take  your  things  off  your  head,  and  then  go  out  and 
speak  to  them.  They  are  close  here. ' ' 

The  child  did  as  he  told  her,  and  as  he  opened  the  door 
she  stepped  out.  The  peasants,  who  were  only  some  twenty 
yards  away,  stopped  in  surprise  at  the  appearance  of  the 
strange  little  figure  before  them.  Her  golden  hair  fell  over  her 
shoulders,  and  the  long  loose  jacket  concealed  the  rest  of  her 
person.  She  spoke  to  them  in  Russian,  in  a  high,  clear  voice  : 


278  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  I  am  the  Countess  Stephanie  Woronski.  I  am  glad  to 
see  you.  I  was  travelling  to  go  to  my  father,  when  there  was 
an  accident,  and  my  nurse  and  the  coachman  were  both  killed  ; 
and  I  should  have  died  too,  but  a  good  man — an  Englishman 
- — took  me  up,  and  he  has  carried  me  many  days,  and  has  fed 
me  and  kept  me  warm  and  been  my  nurse.  He  must  go  with 
me  back  to  my  father  ;  and  my  father  will  give  you  lots 
of  money  for  taking  us  both  to  him,  and  you  must  remember 
that  he  is  an  Englishman  and  not  a  Frenchman,  although 
somehow  he  has  been  obliged  to  go  with  their  army ;  and  he 
js  very,  very  good." 

All  this  time  Julian  was  standing  behind  her,  musket  in 
hand,  determined  to  sell  his  life  dearly.  The  peasants  stood 
irresolute ;  they  conferred  together ;  then  one  of  them  ad- 
vanced, and  took  off  his  fur  cap  and  bowed  to  the  child. 

"Little  mistress,"  he  said,  "we  are  but  peasants,  and  do 
not  know  the  name  of  your  honoured  father ;  but  assuredly 
we  will  take  you  to  our  village,  and  our  priest  will  find  out 
where  he  lives,  and  will  take  you  home  to  him  ;  but  this  man 
with  you  is  a  Frenchman,  and  an  enemy." 

The  child  stamped  her  foot  angrily.  "  Pig  of  a  man  !  " 
she  exclaimed  passionately,  "  Do  I,  then,  lie?  I  tell  you  he 
is  English.  I  have  a  French  coat  on,  just  as  he  has.  Will 
you  say  next  that  I  am  a  French  girl  ?  I  tell  you  that  my 
friend  must  come  with  me,  and  that  when  I  come  to  my  father 
he  will  give  you  much  money.  He  is  a  friend  of  the  Czar, 
and  if  I  tell  him  that  you  have  hurt  my  friend,  he  and  the 
Czar  will  both  be  angry." 

A  murmur  broke  from  the  group  of  peasants.  The  anger 
of  the  Czar  was,  of  all  things,  the  most  terrible.  Doubtless 
this  imperious,  little  countess  was  a  great  lady,  and  their 
habitual  habit  of  subservience  to  the  nobles  at  once  asserted 
itself,  and,  while  they  had  hesitated  before,  the  threat  of  the 
Czar's  anger  completed  their  subjugation. 


"  I  AM  THE  COUNTESS   STEPHANIE  WORONSKI.       I   AM  GLAD  TO  SEE   YOU." 


KEY'S  RETREAT  279 

"  It  shall  be  as  the  little  mistress  wills  it,"  the  peasant  said 
humbly.  "  No  harm  shall  be  done  to  your  friend.  We  can- 
not promise  that  the  troops  will  not  take  him  away  from  us, 
but  if  they  do  not  he  shall  go  with  you  when  we  find  where 
your  father  lives.  If  he  has  saved  your  life,  he  must  be,  as 
you  say,  a  good  man,  and  we  will  take  care  of  him." 

"  They  will  take  care  of  you,"  the  child  said  in  French, 
turning  to  Julian.  "  I  told  them  that  my  father  would  reward 
them,  and  that  the  Czar  would  be  very  angry  with  them  if 
they  hurt  you  ;  and  so  they  have  promised  to  take  you  with 
me  to  him." 

Julian  at  once  placed  his  gun  against  the  wall,  and,  taking 
her  hand,  walked  forward  to  the  peasants. 

"  Tell  them,"  he  said,  "that  the  English  are  the  friends 
of  Russia,  and  that  there  are  some  English  officers  now  with 
their  army,  for  I  have  several  times  seen  scarlet  uniforms  among 
the  Russian  staff." 

The  child  repeated  this  to  the  peasants.  One  of  them  went 
into  the  hut,  and  looked  round  ;  and  then  securing  Julian's 
musket,  rejoined  the  others,  who  at  once  started  across  the 
snow,  one  of  the  party  carrying  Stephanie.  On  her  telling 
them  that  she  was  hungry,  some  black  bread  was  produced. 
She  gave  the  first  piece  handed  her  to  Julian,  and  then  sat 
contentedly  munching  another.  The  peasants  had  now  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  capture  would  bring  good  fortune 
to  them,  and  one  of  them  took  from  the  pocket  of  his  sheep- 
skin caftan  a  bottle,  which  he  handed  to  Julian.  The  latter 
took  a  drink  that  caused  him  to  cough  violently,  to  the  amuse- 
ment of  the  peasants,  for  it  was  vodka,  and  the  strong  spirit 
took  his  breath  away  after  his  long  abstinence  from  anything 
but  water.  It  did  him  good,  however,  and  seemed  to  send  a 
glow  through  every  limb,  enabling  him  to  keep  pace  with  the 
peasants.  Their  course  lay  north,  and  after  four  hours'  walking 
they  arrived  at  a  good-sized  village  at  the  edge  of  a  forest. 


280  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

Their  arrival  created  much  excitement.  There  was  a  hub- 
bub of  talk,  and  then  they  were  taken  into  the  largest  house 
in  the  village.  Stephanie,  who  had  been  asleep  for  some 
time,  woke  up ;  and  Julian  threw  aside  his  cloak,  for  the  close 
heat  of  the  interior  was  almost  overpowering.  A  very  old 
man,  the  father  of  the  families  that  occupied  the  house, — for 
in  Russia  married  sons  all  share  the  houses  of  their  parents, — 
made  a  deep  bow  to  Stephanie,  and  placed  a  low  seat  for  her 
before  the  stove.  Julian  helped  her  off  with  her  jacket  and 
her  other  encumbrances,  and  her  appearance  in  a  pretty  dress 
evidently  increased  the  respect  in  which  she  was  held  by  the 
peasants.  In  a  short  time  bowls  of  hot  broth  were  placed  be- 
fore them,  and,  weak  as  was  the  liquor,  both  enjoyed  it  im- 
mensely after  their  monotonous  diet  of  horse-flesh.  Then 
Stephanie  was  given  a  corner  on  the  cushion  placed  on  a  wide 
shelf  running  round  the  apartment.  The  place  next  to  her 
was  assigned  to  Julian,  who,  after  swallowing  another  glass  of 
vodka,  was  in  ?  few  minutes  sound  asleep,  with  a  sweet  con- 
sciousness of  rest  and  security  to  which  he  had  long  been  a 
stranger. 

In  the  morning  there  was  a  gathering  composed  of  the  papa 
or  priest  of  the  village  and  the  principal  men.  When  it  was 
concluded,  Stephanie  was  informed  that  none  of  them  knew 
the  place  of  residence  of  her  father,  but  that  a  messenger  had 
been  sent  off  to  the  nearest  town  with  a  letter  from  the  priest 
to  the  bishop  there,  asking  him  to  inform  them  of  it.  She  was 
asked  how  many  days  had  passed  since  she  had  fallen  in  with 
the  French,  and  how  long  she  had  been  travelling  before  she 
did  so.  Julian  was  able  to  say  exactly  where  he  had  fallen  in 
with  her — about  thirty  miles  from  Smolensk.  Stephanie  her- 
self was  vague  as  to  the  time  she  had  travelled  before  the  acci- 
dent to  the  carriage,  "  days  and  days  "  being  the  only  account 
that  she  could  give  of  the  matter.  The  priest  then  spoke  to 
her  for  some  time  in  Russian. 


NEY'S  RETREAT  281 

"  They  want  you,"  she  said  to  Julian,  "  to  take  off  your 
uniform  and  to  put  on  clothes  like  theirs.  They  say  that 
though  they  wish  to  take  you  with  me  to  my  father,  they 
might  on  the  way  fall  in  with  other  people  or  with  soldiers, 
who  would  not  know  how  good  you  are,  arid  might  take  you 
away  from  them  and  kill  you,  so  that  it  would  be  safer  for 
you  to  travel  in  Russian  dress.  You  won't  mind  that,  will 
you?" 

"  Not  at  all,  Stephanie ;  I  think  that  it  is  a  very  good  plan 
indeed." 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  later  Julian  was  equipped  in  the  attire 
of  a  well-to-do  peasant,  with  caftan  lined  with  sheep-skin,  a 
round  fur  cap,  a  thick  pair  of  trousers  of  a  dark  rough  cloth, 
bandages  of  the  same  material  round  the  leg  from  the  knee  to 
the  ankle,  and  high  loose  boots  of  untanned  leather  with  the 
hair  inside.  The  transformation  greatly  pleased  the  peasants, 
whose  hatred  of  the  French  uniform  had  hitherto  caused  them  to 
stand  aloof  from  him,  and  they  now  patted  him  on  the  shoulder, 
shook  his  hand,  and  drank  glasses  of  vodka,  evidently  to  his 
health,  with  great  heartiness.  Julian  could,  as  yet,  scarcely  be- 
lieve that  all  this  was  not  a  dream.  From  the  day  that  he  had 
crossed  the  Niemen  he  had  been  filled  with  gloomy  forebodings 
of  disaster,  and  sickened  by  the  barbarities  of  the  soldiers  upon 
the  people,  while,  during  the  retreat,  he  had  been  exposed  to 
constant  hardship,  engaged  in  innumerable  fights  and  skir- 
mishes, and  impressed  with  the  firm  belief  that  not  a  French- 
man would  ever  cross  the  frontier  save  as  a  prisoner.  After 
this  the  sense  of  warmth,  the  abundance  of  food,  and  the  ab- 
sence of  any  necessity  for  exertion  seemed  almost  overpower- 
ing, and  for  the .  next  three  or  four  days  he  passed  no  small 
proportion  of  his  time  in  sleep. 

Stephanie  was  quite  in  her  element.  She  was  treated  like  a 
little  queen  by  the  villagers,  who  considered  her  presence 
among  them  a  high  honour  as  well  as  a  source  of  future 


282  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

reward.  They  were  never  weary  of  listening  to  the  details  of 
her  stay  among  the  French,  and  accorded  to  Julian  a  good 
deal  of  deference  both  for  the  kindness  he  had  shown  the  little 
countess  and  for  the  service  that  he  had  thereby  rendered  to 
themselves.  It  was  ten  days  before  an  answer  was  received  as 
to  the  count's  estates.  They  lay,  it  said,  far  to  the  south,  but 
the  bishop  was  of  opinion  that  the  little  countess  had  better  be 
sent  to  St.  Petersburg,  as  the  count  had  a  palace  there,  and 
would  be  certain  to  be  at  the  capital  at  the  present  juncture  of 
affairs.  He  offered  that,  if  they  would  bring  her  to  him,  he 
would  see  that  she  was  sent  on  thither  by  a  post-carriage,  but 
that  in  view  of  the  extreme  cold  it  would  be  better  that  she 
should  not  be  forwarded  until  the  spring. 

A  village  council  was  held  on  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  and 
the  proposal  that  she  should  be  sent  by  the  bishop  was  unani- 
mously negatived.  It  seemed  to  the  villagers  that  in  such  a 
case  the  glory  of  restoring  Stephanie  to  her  parents,  and  the 
reward  that  would  naturally  accrue  from  it,  would  not  fall  to 
them  ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  no  alternative  method  occurred 
to  them.  Finally,  after  much  consultation,  Stephanie  was  asked 
to  interpret  the  bishop's  letter  to  Julian,  and  when  she  had 
done  so  she  was  told  to  add  :  "They  think,  Julian,  that  if 
they  send  us  to  the  bishop  papa  will  not  know  that  it  was 
they  who  found  me  and  took  care  of  me. ' ' 

Julian  understood  the  difficulty.  He  first  inquired  how 
much  the  village  could  raise  to  pay  for  the  expenses  of  a  post- 
carriage  to  St.  Petersburg.  He  said  that  it  would,  of  course, 
be  only  a  loan,  and  would  be  repaid  by  the  count.  This  led 
to  a  considerable  amount  of  discussion,  but  the  difficulty  was 
much  diminished  when  Julian  said  that  he  could  himself  sup- 
ply five  napoleons  towards  the  fund.  It  had  been  decided 
that  three  times  that  amount  would  be  required  to  pay  all 
expenses  of  travel,  and  the  priest  agreeing  to  contribute  an 
equal  amount  to  Julian's,  the  remaining  sum  was  speedily 


NEY'S  RETREAT  283 

made  up.  It  was  then  arranged  that  the  priest  would  himself 
go  to  Borizow  and  obtain  &Rpodorqjna  or  order  for  the  sup- 
ply of  post-horses  at  the  various  stations.  He  would  have  to 
name  those  who  would  accompany  him.  The  head  man  of 
the  village  was  unanimously  elected  to  go  with  him,  and  after 
some  talk  it  was  settled  that  Julian  should  be  put  down  as 
Ivan  Meriloff,  as  a  foreign  name  would  excite  suspicion  and 
cause  much  trouble,  and  possibly  he  might  be  detained  as  a 
prisoner,  in  which  case  the  peasants  saw  that  there  would  be 
considerable  difficulty  in  inducing  the  little  countess  to  go 
with  them.  The  priest  was  absent  three  days,  and  then  re- 
turned with  the  necessary  document  authorizing  him  to  start 
from  Borizow  in  four  days'  time.  Julian  was  sorry  when  the 
time  came  for  his  departure.  After  four  months  of  incessant 
hardship  and  fatigue,  the  feeling  of  rest  and  comfort  was 
delightful.  He  had  been  more  weakened  than  he  was  aware 
of  by  want  of  food,  and,  as  his  strength  came  back  to  him,  he 
felt  like  one  recovering  from  a  long  illness,  ready  to  enjoy  the 
good  things  of  life  fully,  to  bask  in  the  heat  of  the  stove,  and 
to  eat  his  meals  with  a  sense  of  real  enjoyment. 

Rumours  had  come  in  every  day  of  the  terrible  sufferings  of 
the  French  as  they  were  hotly  pressed  by  the  triumphant  Rus- 
sians, and  of  the  general  belief  that  but  few  would  survive  to 
cross  the  Niemen.  Still,  while  the  French  were  thus  suffering 
the  Russians  were  in  but  little  better  plight,  following,  as  they 
did,  through  a  country  that  had  been  swept  bare  of  everything 
that  could  be  burned  by  the  retreating  French.  Their  suffer- 
ings from  cold  were  terrible,  90,000  perished,  and  out  of 
10,000  recruits,  who  afterwards  marched  for  Wilna,  as  a  rein- 
forcement, only  1500  reached  that  city,  and  the  greater  por- 
tion of  these  had  at  once  to  be  taken  to  the  hospital  mutilated 
from  frost-bite.  Thus,  then,  the  number  of  Russians  that  per- 
ished was  at  least  as  great  as  that  of  their  harassed  foes,  and 
this  in  their  own  climate,  and  without  the  necessity  for  the 


284  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

constant  vigilance,  that  had  assisted  to  break  down  the  retreat- 
ing army. 

Julian  was  instructed  in  the  Russian  words  to  reply  if  asked 
by  any  of  the  postmasters  whether  he  was  the  Ivan  Meriloff 
mentioned  in  the  passport,  and,  on  the  day  after  the  return  of 
the  priest,  they  started  in  a  sledge  filled  with  hay  and  covered 
with  sheep-skins. 

Julian  with  Stephanie  were  nestled  up  in  the  hay  at  one  end 
of  the  sledge,  the  two  Russians  at  the  other.  On  reaching 
Borizow  they  stopped  at  the  post-house,  and  on  producing  the 
podorojna  were  told  that  the  carriage  and  horses  would  be  ready 
in  half  an  hour.  They  had  brought  a  considerable  amount  of 
provisions  with  them,  and  now  laid  in  a  stock  of  such  articles  as 
could  not  be  procured  in  the  villages.  When  the  post-carriage 
came  round,  a  large  proportion  of  the  hay  in  the  sledge 
was  transferred  to  it,  together  with  the  sheep-skins.  There 
was  no  luggage,  and  four  horses  were  deemed  sufficient.  The 
wheels  had,  of  course,  been  taken  off  the  vehicle,  and  it  was 
placed  on  runners.  The  driver  climbed  up  to  his  seat,  cracked 
his  whip  furiously,  and  the  horses  started  at  a  gallop.  The 
motion  was  swift  and  pleasant,  indeed  travelling  in  Russia  is 
much  more  agreeable  in  winter  than  in  summer,  for  the  roads, 
which  in  summer  are  often  detestable,  are  in  winter  as  smooth 
as  glass,  over  which  the  sledge  glides  with  a  scarce  perceptible 
movement,  and  the  journeys  are  performed  much  more  rapidly 
than  in  summer. 

The  distance  between  the  post-houses  varied  considerably, 
being  sometimes  only  nine  miles  apart,  sometimes  as  many  as 
twenty,  but  they  were  generally  performed  at  a  gallop,  the 
priest,  at  Julian's  suggestion,  always  giving  somewhat  more 
than  the  usual  drink-money  to  the  driver,  and  in  five  days 
from  the  time  of  their  leaving  Borizow  they  arrived  at  St. 
Petersburg,  halting  only  for  a  few  hours  each  night  at  post- 
houses.  They  had  no  difficulty  in  ascertaining  where  the  Wo- 


KEY'S  RETREAT  285 

ronski  palace  was  situated,  and,  taking  a  droski,  drove  there 
at  once.  Stephanie  clapped  her  hands  as  she  saw  it. 

•  •  You  ought  to  have  put  on  your  cloak,  Julian,  and  to  have 
packed  me  up  under  it  as  you  used  to  carry  me,  and  to  take 
me  in  like  that." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  grand-looking  personage  at  the  door 
would  not  have  let  me  in.  As  it  is,  he  is  looking  at  us  with 
the  greatest  contempt." 

"  That  is  Peter,"  the  child  said.  "  Peter,  Peter,  what  are 
you  standing  staring  for  ?  Why  don't  you  come  and  help  me 
down  as  usual  ?  ' ' 

The  porter,  a  huge  man  with  a  great  beard,  and  wearing  a 
fur  cap  and  a  long  fur-trimmed  pelisse,  almost  staggered  back 
as  the  child  spoke.  He  had,  as  Julian  said,  been  regarding 
the  droski  and  its  load  with  an  air  of  supreme  contempt,  and 
had  been  about  to  demand  angrily  why  it  ventured  to  drive 
up  into  the  court-yard  of  the  palace.  He  stood  immovable 
until  Stephanie  threw  back  her  sheep-skin  hood,  then,  with  a 
loud  cry,  he  sprang  down  the  steps,  dashed  his  fur  cap  to  the 
ground,  threw  himself  on  his  knees,  and  taking  the  child's 
hand  in  his,  pressed  it  to  his  forehead.  The  tears  streamed 
down  his  cheeks,  as  he  sobbed  out,  "  My  little  mistress,  my 
little  mistress  !  and  you  have  come  back  again  to  be  the  light 
of  our  hearts — oh,  what  a  joyful  day  is  this  !  ' ' 

"Thank  you,  Peter,  Now,  please  lift  me  down.  I  am 
quite  well.  Are  papa  and  mamma  well?  " 

"  The  gracious  countess  is  not  well,  little  mistress,  but 
when  she  knows  that  you  are  back,  she  will  soon  regain  her 
health.  His  excellency,  your  father,  is  not  ill,  but  he  is 
sorely  troubled.  He  has  been  away  fora  fortnight  searching 
for  news  of  you,  and  returned  but  last  week.  I  don't  know 
what  his  news  was,  but  it  was  bad,  for  the  countess  has  been 
worse  since  he  returned." 

"  This  gentleman  has  told  me,  Peter,  that  I  must  not  run 


286  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

in  to  see  them  without  their  being  told  first  that  I  am  safe, 
and  that  you  had  better  fetch  Papa  Serge.  This  is  the  Eng- 
lish gentleman,  Peter,  who  saved  my  life  when  I  was  almost 
dead  with  cold,  and  carried  me  for  days  and  days  under  his 
cloak,  and  kept  me  warm  close  to  him  when  we  lay  down  in 
the  snow  at  night." 

Again  the  Russian  fell  on  his  knees,  and  seizing  Julian's 
hand,  put  it  to  his  forehead.  Then  he  jumped  up,  ' '  Why  am 
I  keeping  you  out  in  the  cold?  "  he  said.  "  Come  in,  little 
mistress,  and  I  will  send  to  fetch  the  papa." 

"  Cover  up  your  head,  Stephanie,"  Julian  said  as,  holding 
his  hand  tightly,  they  entered  the  hall  together.  "  If  others 
were  to  see  you  the  news  would  run  through  the  house  like 
wildfire,  and  it  would  come  to  your  mother's  ears  before  it 
had  been  broken  to  her.  Tell  Peter  to  take  us  into  a  quiet 
room,  and  not  to  inform  the  man  he  sends  to  the  priest  that 
you  are  here." 

Followed  by  the  village  priest  and  the  peasant  they  entered 
a  room  fitted  as  a  library. 

"  It  is  here  papa  writes  his  letters,"  Stephanie  said,  throw- 
ing back  her  hood  again  and  taking  off  her  cloak  ;  "  isn't  it 
nice  and  warm?  " 

Coming  in  from  the  temperature  of  some  forty  degrees 
below  freezing,  it  was  to  Julian  most  uncomfortably  warm. 
It  was  some  four  or  five  minutes  before  the  door  opened,  and 
Papa  Serge,  the  family  chaplain,  entered  with  a  somewhat 
bewildered  face,  for  he  had  been  almost  forcibly  dragged 
down  by  Peter,  who  had  refused  to  give  any  explanation  for 
the  urgency  of  his  demand  that  he  should  accompany  him 
instantly  to  the  count's  study.  When  his  eyes  fell  on  Stepha- 
nie, who  had  started  up  as  he  entered,  he  gave  a  cry  of  joy. 
A  moment  later  she  sprang  into  his  arms. 

"Dear,  dear,  Papa  Serge!"  she  said,  as  she  kissed  his 
withered  cheeks  warmly.  "  Oh  I  do  love  to  be  home  again, 


NEY'S  RETREAT  287 

though  I  have  been  very  happy,  and  everyone  has  been  very 
kind  to  me.  Now,  you  mustn't  stay  here,  because  I  want  to 
see  papa  and  mamma ;  and  this  gentleman  says — he  is  my 
great  friend,  you  know,  and  I  call  him  Nurse  Julian — that  you 
must  go  and  tell  them  first  that  I  have  come,  and  that  you 
must  tell  them  very  gently,  so  that  it  won't  upset  poor 
mamma. ' ' 

"  Tell  him,  Stephanie,  that  he  had  better  say  at  first  only 
that  someone  has  just  come  with  the  news  that  you  are  quite 
safe,  and  that  you  will  be  here  soon,  and  then  after  a  little 
while,  he  had  better  call  your  father  out  and  tell  him  the 
truth.  By  the  way,  ask  if  they  are  together  now." 

The  child  put  the  question. 

"No,  the  countess  is  in  bed  and  the  count  is  walking  up 
and  down  the  great  drawing-room.  He  does  it  for  hours  at 
a  time." 

"  In  that  case,  Stephanie,  tell  Serge  to  speak  first  to  your 
father,  and  to  bring  him  down  here  to  you.  He  will  break  it 
to  your  mother  better  than  anyone  else  would  do. ' ' 

The  priest  was  too  deeply  moved  to  speak,  but  upon 
Stephanie  translating  what  Julian  had  said,  put  her  down  and 
left  the  room.  As  soon  as  he  had  done  so  the  priest  who  had 
travelled  with  them,  and  who,  with  his  companion,  had  been 
standing  in  an  attitude  of  respect  while  Stephanie  was  speak- 
ing, said  to  her : 

"  Little  countess,  we  will  go  out  into  the  hall  and  wait  there. 
It  were  better  that  his  excellency,  your  father,  should  meet  you 
here  alone." 

"  He  would  not  mind,"  Stephanie  said,  "  but  if  you  think 
that  you  had  better  go,  please  do." 

The  two  peasants  left  the  room  somewhat  hastily.  They 
had  been  absolutely  awed  at  the  splendour  of  the  house, 
which  vastly  surpassed  anything  they  had  ever  imagined, 
and  were  glad  to  make  an  excuse  to  leave  the  room  and  so 


288  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

avoid  seeing  the  count  until  his  daughter  had  explained  the 
reason  of  their  presence  there.  Julian  guessed  their  reason 
for  leaving  and  was  about  to  follow  them  when  Stephanie 
took  him  by  the  hand. 

"  No,"  she  said,  "  you  are  not  to  go,  Julian.  It  is  you  who 
saved  my  life,  and  it  is  you  who  must  give  me  back  to  papa." 
A  few  minutes  elapsed,  then  the  door  was  suddenly  thrown 
open  and  the  count  ran  in. 

"My  Stephanie  !  my  little  Stephanie!"  he  cried,  as  he 
caught  her  up.  "  Oh,  my  little  girl !  we  never  thought  to  see 
you  again — it  seems  a  miracle  from  heaven.  Do  not  cry, 
darling,"  he  said  presently,  as  she  lay  sobbing  with  her  head 
on  his  shoulder.  "  It  is  all  over  now,  and  you  will  come  to 
think  of  it  in  time  as  a  bad  dream." 

"  Not  a  very  bad  one,  papa.  It  has  been  funny  and  strange, 
but  not  bad.  Oh,  and  I  meant  this  gentleman — he  is  an  Eng- 
lish gentleman,  papa — to  have  put  me  into  your  arms,  only 
somehow  I  forgot  all  about  it  when  you  came  in.  I  call  him 
Nurse  Julian,  papa,  because  he  has  been  my  nurse.  He  has 
carried  me  for  days  and  days  on  his  back  under  his  warm  cloak, 
and  I  have  slept  curled  up  in  his  arms ;  and  sometimes  there 
were  battles.  Oh,  such  a  noise  they  made  !  When  it  was  a 
big  battle  he  stowed  me  away  in  a  waggon,  but  sometimes 
when  it  was  a  small  one,  and  he  had  not  time  to  take  me  to 
the  waggon,  he  carried  me  on  his  back,  and  I  used  to  jump  at 
first  when  he  fired  his  gun,  but  I  soon  got  accustomed  to  it, 
and  he  always  got  me  plenty  of  food,  though  it  was  not  very 
nice.  But  he  didn't  often  get  enough,  and  he  became  very 
thin  and  pale,  and  then  I  used  sometimes  to  run  along  by  his 
side  for  a  bit,  and  I  only  let  him  carry  me  when  I  was  very 
tired,  and  at  last  we  were  in  a  little  hut  by  ourselves,  and  some 
peasants  came.  They  looked  very  wicked  at  first,  but  I  told 
them  who  I  was,  and  that  you  would  give  them  money  if  they 
brought  me  back  to  you,  and  so  we  went  to  their  village  and 


NEY'S  RETREAT  289 

stayed  there,  and  it  was  warm  and  nice,  and  there  was  plenty 
of  food,  and  dear  Julian  got  strong  again,  and  then  they 
brought  us  here  in  a  post-carriage,  and  two  of  them  came 
with  me.  They  are  out  in  the  hall  now." 

The  count  set  his  little  daughter  down,  and  coming  up  to 
Julian  threw  his  arms  round  his  neck  and  kissed  him  in  Rus- 
sian fashion.  "My  benefactor!  "  he  exclaimed,  "I  don't 
understand  all  that  Stephanie  has  told  me,  but  it  is  enough 
that  you  saved  her  life,  and  that  you  nursed  her  with  the 
tenderness  of  a  mother,  and  have  restored  her  to  us  as  one 
from  the  grave.  Never  can  I  fully  express  my  thanks  or  prove 
my  gratitude  to  you,  but  now  you  will,  I  trust,  excuse  me.  I 
am  burning  to  carry  the  news  of  our  dear  one's  return  to  her 
mother,  whose  condition  is  giving  us  grave  anxiety.  She  is 
far  too  weak  to  stand  any  sudden  shock,  and  I  will  merely  tell 
her  now  that  news  has  come  that  a  little  girl  whose  descrip- 
tion corresponds  with  that  of  Stephanie  has  been  found  and  is 
on  her  way  here,  and  may  arrive  very  shortly.  More  than 
that  I  shall  not  venture  upon  to-day,  unless,  indeed,  I  find 
that  the  excitement  and  suspense  is  likely  to  be  even  more  in- 
jurious to  her  than  the  state  of  dull  despair  in  which  she  now 
lies.  If  I  see  that  it  is  so  I  must  go  on,  little  by  little,  till 
she  guesses  the  truth.  Now,  Stephanie,  you  had  better  come 
up  to  your  own  room.  Of  course,  your  friend  will  come  with 
you,"  he  added  with  a  smile  as  Stephanie  took  Julian's  hand 
"  But  you  had  better  wait  three  or  four  minutes  so  that  I 
may  give  strict  orders  to  the  household  that  everything  is  to 
be  kept  perfectly  quiet,  and  that  not  a  sound  is  to  be  heard  in 
the  house.  There  will  be  time  enough  for  rejoicings  after- 
wards. ' ' 

The  count,  who  was  a  handsome  man  some  thirty  years  old, 
now  left  the  room.  He  paused  in  the  hall  for  a  minute,  shook 
the  priest  and  his  companion  warmly  by  the  hand,  and  as- 
sured them  that  they  should  be  handsomely  rewarded  for  the 


290  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

kindness  they  had  shown  to  his  daughter,  and  then  after  speak- 
ing to  Peter  he  ran  lightly  upstairs  to  his  wife's  room.  Steph- 
anie waited  for  about  five  minutes  and  then  said : 

"  I  should  think  that  papa  has  had  time  to  give  the  orders. 
Now,  Julian,  shall  we  go  ?  " 

"  Yes,  dear,  I  think  we  might  do  so." 

On  going  out  into  the  hall  a  singular  spectacle  presented  itself. 
The  grand  staircase  was  lined  on  each  side  with  kneeling  men 
and  women.  There  was  a  sound  of  suppressed  sobbing,  and  a 
low  murmur  was  heard  as  Stephanie  appeared. 

"Go  first,  Stephanie  dear,"  Julian  said  in  a  low  voice; 
' '  they  want  to  kiss  your  hands. ' ' 

Stephanie  showed  no  shyness,  for,  stopping  on  each  step, 
she  held  out  her  hands  to  the  kneeling  figures,  who  murmured 
prayers  and  blessings.  As  they  kissed  them,  she  said  softly 
to  each,  "  Thank  you  very  much,  but  I  must  not  talk  now. 
This  gentleman  is  my  friend.  It  is  he  who  saved  my  life,  and 
nursed  me,  and  carried  me.  You  must  all  love  him  for  my 
sake,"  whereupon,  as  Julian  followed  her,  he  met  with  a  recep- 
tion similar  to  that  given  to  their  young  mistress.  He  was 
glad  when  at  last  they  reached  the  top  of  the  stairs  and  Steph- 
anie led  the  way  into  her  own  room,  which  was  a  sort  of 
glorified  nursery.  Here  two  or  three  maids  were  laying  a 
table,  and  as  the  door  closed  behind  him  they  crowded  round 
her  and  by  turns  kissed  and  hugged  her.  Then  an  old  woman, 
who  had  sat  apart  until  the  girls  had  had  their  turn,  came  for- 
ward. She  placed  her  hands  solemnly  on  the  child's  head : 

"  May  the  great  Father  bless  you,  my  child.  I  have  seen 
many  glad  days  since  I  entered  the  service  of  your  house  sixty 
years  ago.  I  was  present  at  your  grandfather's  wedding,  and 
your  .father's,  but  never  was  there  so  bright  and  happy  a  day 
as  this,  which  but  half  an  hour  ago  was  so  dark  and  sad.  It 
was  but  three  days  ago  that  the  whole  household  went  into 
mourning  for  you,  for  the  news  your  father  brought  home 


NEY'S  RETREAT  291 

seemed  to  show  that  all  hope  was  at  an  end.  In  five  minutes 
all  this  has  changed.  You  see  the  maids  have  got  on  their 
festive  dresses,  and  I  will  warrant  me  they  never  changed 
their  things  so  rapidly  before.  Now  we  have  but  to  get  your 
beloved  mother  strong  again,  which,  please  God,  will  not  be 
long,  and  then  this  will  be  the  happiest  house  in  all  Russia." 

"  This  is  my  nurse,  my  new  nurse,  Elizabeth.  His  name 
is  Julian,  and  he  is  an  English  gentleman,  as  you  will  see 
better  when  he  gets  some  nice  clothes  on.  He  has  carried  me 
days  and  days  across  the  snow,  and  kept  me  warm  by  night 
and  day,  and  done  everything  for  me.  He  doesn't  speak 
Russian,  but  he  can  speak  French,  and  so,  of  course,  we  got 
on  very  nicely;  and  I  have  been  in  battles,  Elizabeth,  think 
of  that !  and  I  was  not  afraid  a  bit,  and  I  was  quite  happy  all 
the  time,  only,  of  course,  I  am  very,  very  glad  to  get  home 
again." 

The  meal  was  now  laid,  and  Julian  and  the  child  sat  down 
to  it  with  a  vigorous  appetite.  Their  food  while  in  the  village 
had  been  coarse  though  plentiful,  and  Julian  especially  appre- 
ciated the  delicate  flavour  and  perfect  cooking  of  the  many 
dishes  of  whose  names  and  contents  he  was  absolutely  ignorant. 
An  hour  after  they  had  finished,  the  count  came  in. 

"Your  mother  has  borne  it  better  than  I  expected,  Steph- 
anie," he  said.  "  I  have  been  able  to  break  the  news  to  her 
sooner  than  I  expected.  Come  with  me ;  be  very  quiet  and 
do  not  talk  much.  She  will  be  well  content  to  have  you 
lying  quietly  in  her  arms."  So  saying,  he  lifted  her  and  car- 
ried her  off,  saying  to  Julian,  "  I  will  return  and  have  the 
pleasure  of  a  talk  with  you  after  I  have  left  Stephanie  with 
her  mother." 


292  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

CHAPTER  XV 

IN    COMFORTABLE    QUARTERS 

IT  was  an  hour  before  the  Count  returned  to  the  nursery. 
"Ah,  my  friend,"  he  said,  "what  happiness  have  you 
brought  to  us.  Already  my  wife  is  a  new  creature.  I  had 
begun  to  think  that  I  should  lose  her  too,  for  the  doctors  told 
me  frankly  that  they  feared  she  would  fall  into  a  decline.  Now 
her  joy  is  so  great  that  it  was  with  difficulty  that  I  could  tear 
myself  away  from  contemplating  her  happiness,  but  the  doctor 
came  in  and  recommended  that  she  should  try  and  sleep  for  a 
time,  or  if  she  could  not  sleep  that  she  should  at  least  lie  abso- 
lutely quiet,  so  Stephanie  has  nestled  down  by  her  side,  and  I 
was  able  to  come  to  you."  He  now  led  the  way  to  a  luxuri- 
ously furnished  smoking-room. 

"This  is  my  snuggery,"  he  said.  "The  library  below  is 
where  I  go  into  matters  with  my  stewards,  receive  persons 
who  come  on  business,  and  so  on.  This  is  where  I  read  and 
receive  my  friends.  Now,  will  you  help  yourself  to  those 
cigars,  and  let  us  talk.  At  present  I  know  nothing.  Stephanie 
was  left  down  at  our  estate,  near  Kieff,  under  the  charge  of 
her  French  nurse,  who  has  been  with  her  since  she  was  born. 
She  was  rather  governess  than  nurse  of  late.  She  was  a  French 
emigre,  and  of  good  French  family,  and  we  had  implicit  con- 
fidence in  her.  I  wrote  to  her  when  the  invasion  first  began^ 
saying  that  as  at  present  we  could  not  tell  whether  St.  Peters- 
burg or  Moscow  would  be  Napoleon's  object  of  attack,  but  as 
all  the  centre  of  Russia  would  be  involved  in  the  war,  I  wished 
that  Stephanie  should  remain  quietly  with  her.  I  said  that, 
should  any  French  army  approach  Kieff,  she  was  to  take 
Stephanie  at  once  to  my  estate  near  Odessa. 

"After  the  invasion  began  I  sent  off  several  letters  to  the 


IN  COMFORTABLE  QUARTERS  293 

same  effect,  two  by  my  own  couriers,  but  owing  to  our  army 
falling  back  so  rapidly,  I  imagine  that  none  of  the  letters 
e.er  reached  the  nurse.  Of  course,  the  whole  postal  com- 
munication of  the  country  has  been  thrown  into  confusion. 
At  last,  two  months  ago,  a  messenger  from  Kieff  brought  me 
a  letter  from  her  making  no  allusion  to  those  I  had  sent  her, 
but  saying  that  as  she  heard  that  the  French  army  was  at  Moscow 
she  felt  sure  I  should  wish  her  to  bring  Stephanie  to  us,  and 
that,  after  a  consultation  with  my  steward,  she  would  in  three 
days  start  direct  after  sending  off  her  letter.  We  were,  of 
course,  thunderstruck.  She  apparently  had  the  idea  that  the 
whole  of  the  French  were  at  Moscow,  and  that  it  would, 
therefore,  be  perfectly  safe  to  cross  the  roads  between  them 
and  the  frontier.  The  poor  woman  said  that  should  they  by 
any  chance  come  across  any  body  of  her  countrymen,  she  was 
sure  that  they  would  not  interfere  with  a  woman  and  child. 
Her  anxiety  seemed  to  relate  solely  to  the  weather  and  food, 
but  she  assured  me  that  she  would  bring  an  abundance  of 
wraps  of  all  sorts,  and  a  supply  of  provisions  in  \hefourgon 
sufficient  for  the  journey. 

"  Half  an  hour  after  I  received  the  letter  I  sent  off  two 
couriers.  They  were,  of  course,  to  go  round  east  of  Moscow 
and  then  to  Kieff.  They  were  to  drive  at  the  top  of  their 
speed  the  whole  way,  and  I  obtained  a  special  order  for  them 
to  be  instantly  furnished  with  post-horses  everywhere.  In  the 
meantime  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  to  wait.  My  orders 
were  that  immediately  they  arrived  they  were  to  send  off  a 
fresh  messenger  by  the  way  they  had  come,  saying  whether 
Stephanie  had  started,  and  they  were  bearers  of  letters  of 
instruction  to  the  steward  that  six  mounted  men  were 
instantly  to  follow  the  road  the  carriage  had  taken,  making 
inquiries  at  every  post-house,  and  to  endeavour  to  trace 
them,  and  if  the  clue  was  anywhere  lost  to  bring  word 
to  me.  I  waited  ten  days,  then  I  got  news  that  Stephanie 


294  THROUGH    RUSSIAN   SNOWS 

had  left  five  weeks  before  my  messengers  arrived  there.  The 
nurse's  letter  had  been  a  very  long  time  in  coming  to  me, 
and  they  had  started,  as  she  said,  three  days  after  it  was 
written,  therefore  if  they  had  got  safely  through  the  country 
occupied  by  the  French  they  should  have  arrived  here  at  least 
three  weeks  before. 

"According  to  the  dates  there  was  little  doubt  that  they 
must  have  crossed  the  main  road  from  Moscow  to  the  frontier 
at  the  very  time  when  the  French  army  on  its  retreat  would 
be  moving  along.  All  that  we  had  heard  and  knew  of  the  ter- 
rible distress,  both  of  their  army  and  of  our  own,  showed  that  at 
that  time  the  intense  suffering  of  the  French  and  the  savage 
reprisals  of  our  peasantry  had  reduced  them  to  a  state  when 
nothing  was  respected,  and  that  a  pair  of  valuable  horses  and 
a  heap  of  costly  furs,  to  say  nothing  of  the  food  carried, 
would  be  prizes  almost  beyond  value.  Deprived  of  these,  a 
nurse  and  child  would,  in  a  few  hours,  die  of  the  cold.  That 
some  such  fate  must  have  befallen  them  seemed  almost  certain, 
for  otherwise  they  must  have  joined  us. 

"  I  could  tell  pretty  well  the  road  that  they  would  follow, 
and  started  along  it.  Half  way  between  here  and  Smolensk 
I  met  the  six  men.  What  they  said  confirmed  my  worst  fears. 
They  had  learnt  where  the  carriage  had  last  halted  for  the 
night.  The  party  had  not  travelled  post,  but  had  kept  their 
own  horses  and  had  travelled  only  by  day.  Had  they 
lingered  only  one  day  anywhere  on  the  way  they  would  have 
crossed  the  Moscow  road  on  the  day  after  the  rear-guard  of 
the  French  had  passed. 

"But  news  travelled  slowly,  and  no  doubt,  at  the  post- 
house  where  they  slept,  no  word  that  the  French  army  was 
passing  along  had  been  received.  Beyond  that,  the  men  had 
been  able  to  gather  no  news  whatever  of  the  carriage.  The 
country  was  a  desert,  tenanted  only  by  dead  ;  and  the  men's 
descriptions  of  what  they  saw  were  so  horrible  that  my  blood 


IN    COMFORTABLE    QUARTERS  295 

was  frozen.  However,  I  kept  on  my  journey,  taking  them 
with  me.  We  went  to  the  post-house  where  the  carriage  had 
last  stopped,  and  then  took  up  the  search.  There  were  half  a 
dozen  roads  by  which  they  might  have  proceeded  ;  however, 
we  took  the  most  easterly  one,  and  then,  when  it  crossed  the 
main  road,  followed  the  latter.  It  was  choked  with  deserted 
waggons  and  guns.  Dead  bodies  lay  everywhere;  many 
partly  devoured  by  wolves;  all  stripped  of  their  clothing. 
After  making  our  way  through  this  terrible  scene  for  a  few 
miles,  we  saw,  fifty  yards  from  the  road,  the  remains  of  a 
sleigh.  Its  bright  yellow  colour  caught  our  eyes,  and  when 
we  got  to  it  there  was  no  room  for  doubt.  The  body  of  the 
sleigh  was  gone — had  been  burnt  for  firewood  ;  but  the  colour 
was  that  of  my  own  carriage,  and  two  of  the  men  who  be- 
longed to  the  stables  at  Kieff  said  that  they  could  swear  to  it, 
owing  to  a  new  iron  that  had  been  put  on  to  one  of  the  run- 
ners the  day  before  it  had  started.  But  there  were  other  signs. 
Portions  of  the  harness  lay  about,  and  on  one  of  these  enough 
of  the  silver-work  remained  to  show  that  it  was  ours. 

"  Then  we  searched  farther.  Turning  over  a  mound  of 
newly-fallen  snow,  we  found  the  bodies  of  the  coachman  and 
the  nurse.  We  searched  for  hours,  but  could  not  find  that  of 
the  child  ;  but  as  to  her  fate  we  had  no  doubt.  She  might 
have  run  away  into  the  forest,  or  she  might  have  been  de- 
voured by  wolves.  That  she  was  dead  was  certain.  I  left 
four  of  the  men  there.  They  were  to  establish  themselves  in 
the  nearest  village,  and  to  continue  the  search  day  by  day, 
and  to  remain  there,  if  necessary,  till  the  spring  came  and  the 
snow  disappeared.  I  returned  here  ten  days  ago  with  the 
news  that  all  hope  was  at  an  end,  and  that  Stephanie  was  lost 
to  us  for  ever.  Now,  sir,  will  you  tell  me  how  it  was  that  you 
saved  her?  You  were  doubtless  with  the  French  army, 
though  how  you  came  to  be  there  is  almost  as  great  a  puzzle 
as  how  Stephanie  was  saved." 


296  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  I  will  tell  you  that  afterwards,  Count,"  Julian  replied. 

Then  he  related  how,  on  marching  past  the  overturned  car- 
riage, he  heard  what  would  doubtless  have  been  Stephanie's 
last  cry,  and  had  found  her  lying  half-frozen  among  the  cush- 
ions. He  stated  the  means  he  had  taken  to  restore  warmth  to 
her,  and  how  he  had  strapped  her  to  his  back  under  his 
warmly-lined  cloak. 

Then  he  gave,  as  well  as  he  could  remember,  the  details  of 
each  day's  experience  :  how  Stephanie  had  become  a  general 
pet  of  the  soldiers  ;  how  they  had  manufactured  a  warm  cloak 
and  hood  for  her ;  how  she  had  ridden  on  shoulders,  and  had 
joined  in  the  marching  songs  of  the  regiment,  and  had  really 
kept  well  and  in  good  spirits  on  the  march  ;  how,  as  he  got 
too  weak  to  carry  her,  she  had  trotted  by  his  side ;  and  how 
his  comrades,  in  spite  of  their  exhaustion,  had  been  willing  to 
relieve  him  of  her  weight.  Then  he  told  how,  at  last,  they 
had  separated  from  the  regiment  when  but  a  few  hours'  march 
from  the  Berezina ;  and  how  Stephanie  in  turn  had  saved  his 
life  from  the  peasants. 

"So  you  see,  Count,"  he  concluded,  "the  kindness  that 
I  had  shown  your  child  has  already  been  repaid  to  me  many 
fold.  Not  only  did  she  save  my  life  from  the  peasants,  but  I 
have  no  doubt  that  her  pretty  talk,  and  the  occupation  she 
offered  to  my  thoughts,  and  her  warmth  as  she  nestled  close  to 
me  at  night,  were  the  means  of  my  retaining  my  strength  to 
a  far  greater  degree  than  was  the  case  with  most  of  my  com- 
rades, and  enabled  me  to  survive  when  so  many  dropped  dead 
from  cold  and  exhaustion." 

"  That  may  be  so,  my  friend,"  the  count  said.  "  God  has 
doubtless  rewarded  you  for  your  good  action,  but  that  in  no- 
wise lessens  our  obligations  towards  you.  Now,  will  you  tell 
me  somewhat  of  your  own  history?  " 

"  It  is  a  long  story,  Count." 

"  All  the  better,  my  friend.      I  trust  that  my  wife  is  asleep 


IN  COMFORTABLE  QUARTERS  297 

by  this  time,  and  the  child  with  her,  and  nothing  can  be  of 
greater  interest  to  me  than  to  hear  it." 

Julian  therefore  related  his  story  in  full,  and  produced  the 
paper  given  him  on  his  enlistment,  guaranteeing  that  he  should 
not  be  called  upon  to  fight  against  his  countrymen. 

"  Since  we  entered  Russia,  Count,"  he  said,  "and  I  have 
seen  the  savage  manner  in  which  the  peasantry  were  treated, 
not  so  much  by  the  French  troops  as  by  the  allies,  I  bitterly 
regretted  that  I  had  enlisted ;  but,  at  the  time,  no  notion  of 
this  had  ever  entered  my  mind.  I  have  told  you  that  the  life 
at  Verdun  was  intolerable.  We  died  in  hundreds,  for  a  sort 
of  dull  despair  seemed  to  settle  on  everyone;  and,  although 
for  a  long  time  I  had  borne  up  against  it,  I  had  come  to  the 
point  when  death  would  have  been  welcome.  A  return  to  my 
own  country  seemed  closed  to  me,  owing  to  the  circumstances 
I  have  related  to  you ;  and  I  entered  the  French  service,  just 
as,  in  the  wars  a  couple  of  hundred  years  ago,  Englishmen  and 
Scotchmen  were  to  be  found  fighting  as  soldiers  of  fortune  in 
the  armies  of  well-nigh  every  power  of  Europe." 

"I  cannot  blame  you,  Mr.  Wyatt.  Yours  is  a  singular  and 
most  unfortunate  story,  and  it  seems  to  me  that,  had  I  been 
in  your  place,  I  should  have  acted  precisely  the  same,  and 
should  have  been  glad  to  take  service  under  any  flag  rather 
than  have  remained  to  rot  in  a  prison.  Certainly  you  had  a 
thousand  times  better  excuse  than  had  the  Austrians  and  Prus- 
sians, who,  after  having  been  our  allies,  entered  upon  this 
savage  war  of  invasion  without  a  shadow  of  excuse,  save  that 
it  was  the  will  of  Napoleon.  However,  I  think  that  it  will 
be  as  well,  in  order  to  save  any  necessity  for  explanation,  that 
I  should  introduce  you  to  my  friends  as  an  English  gentleman 
who  has  come  to  me  with  the  warmest  recommendations,  and 
whom  I  am  most  anxious  to  serve  in  any  way.  This  is  not  a 
time  when  men  concern  themselves  in  any  way  with  the  private 
affairs  of  others.  There  is  not  a  family  in  Russia,  high  or 


298  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

low,  who  has  not  lost  one  or  more  members  in  this  terrible 
struggle.  Publicly,  and  as  a  nation,  we  rejoice  at  our  deliver- 
ance, and  at  the  destruction  of  our  enemies.  Privately,  we 
mourn  our  losses. 

"They  have  been  terrible.  As  yet  we  scarcely  know  how 
great ;  but  I  imagine  that  they  will  be  found  to  have  been  no 
less  than  that  of  the  enemy.  We  hear  that,  in  the  pursuit, 
and  without  having  taken  any  part  in  the  actual  fighting  after 
Krasnoi,  Kutusow's  army  alone  has  lost  nearly  100,000  men 
from  cold  and  fatigue ;  while,  of  the  central  army  of  Napo- 
leon, but  four  hundred  infantry  and  six  hundred  cavalry  re- 
passed  the  Niemen  with  their  arms  and  standards.  The  other 
Russian  divisions  suffered  as  severely  as  those  with  Kutusow. 
The  Emperor  has  himself  gone  to  Wilna  to  endeavour  to  alle- 
viate the  sufferings  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  with  which  the 
city  is  crammed.  Wide  as  will  be  the  mourning  in  France,  it 
will  be  no  less  so  in  Russia.  Now,  the  first  thing  to  do  is  to 
provide  you  with  suitable  garments.  This  I  will  put  in  hand 
immediately ;  but,  until  they  can  be  procured,  you  must  con- 
tent yourself  with  some  of  mine,  though,  as  you  are  some  four 
inches  taller  than  I  am  and  far  wider,  they  will  suit  you  but 
poorly.  However,  I  have  an  ample  store  of  dressing-gowns 
and  wraps,  and  you  must  remain  indoors  a  prisoner  until  you 
are  properly  fitted  out.  By  the  way,  I  had  an  interview  with 
the  two  honest  men  who  came  with  you  before  I  returned  to 
you,  and  have  arranged  their  business  fully  to  their  satisfac- 
tion. The  Papa  will  be  able  to  build  himself  a  new  church, 
and  the  villagers  to  repair  all  the  losses  they  have  suffered  in 
the  campaign. 

"  They  were,"  he  said,  with  a  smile,  "  anxious  to  see  you, 
as  they  said  that  they  had  an  account  to  settle  with  you,  as 
you  had  furnished  one-third  of  the  money  required  for  the 
trip.  However,  I  told  them  that  they  could  set  their  minds 
at  rest  on  that  score,  for  that  I  would  settle  with  you  pri- 


IN    COMFORTABLE    QUARTERS  299 

vately.  I  only  mention  it  that  you  should  not  think  they 
had  gone  off  without  any  remembrance  of  your  share  in  the 
business." 

An  hour  later,  a  tailor  with  his  assistant  came  to  measure 
Julian.  Three  days  later,  the  Count  suggested  that  he  should 
go  for  a  drive  with  him  in  his  sledge,  and,  wrapped  up  in  furs, 
Julian  took  his  place  beside  him  in  a  splendidly-appointed 
open  vehicle.  Stephanie  sat  between  them.  The  sledge  was 
drawn  by  three  horses — the  centre  one  in  shafts,  while  those 
on  either  side  ran  free.  A  purple  net  covered  the  three  ani- 
mals almost  touching  the  ground,  and  so  preventing  the  par- 
ticles of  snow  being  thrown  up  by  their  hoofs  into  the  sledge. 
The  driver,  in  fur  cap  and  pelisse,  and  with  an  immense  beard, 
sat  on  a  seat  in  front.  A  number  of  bells  were  attached  to  the 
harness  of  the  horses,  and  to  a  bow-shaped  piece  of  wood  that 
arched  over  the  head  of  the  central  horse. 

"  This  is  an  improvement  on  the  post-waggons,  Stephanie," 
Julian  said. 

The  child  nodded  brightly.  "  You  said  it  would  all  seem 
like  a  dream,  Julian,"  she  remarked  presently,  as  they  dashed 
swiftly  down  the  broad  street  of  the  Nevsky,  crowded  with 
vehicles  of  all  kinds,  from  the  splendidly-appointed  sledges, 
like  their  own,  to  the  lumbering  vehicles  of  the  peasants  piled 
up  with  firewood.  ' '  It  almost  seems  like  a  dream  already, 
and  yet  you  know  I  was  very  comfortable  with  you." 

"  It  will  be  something  for  you  to  look  back  upon  all  your 
life,"  her  father  said.  "There  will  be  many  who  will  have 
strange  and  sad  memories  of  the  war,  but  not  one  who  will 
have  a  stranger  experience  than  you  have  to  talk  about.  Hap- 
pily, there  was,  as  far  as  you  are  concerned,  but  little  sadness 
in  it." 

Julian  was  delighted  with  the  brightness  and  gaiety  of  St. 
Petersburg,  with  its  broad  streets,  its  stately  palaces,  its  fine 
cathedrals,  and  its  busy  population.  The  universal  use  of  furs 


300  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

prevented  the  symbols  of  mourning  being  apparent,  and,  as 
they  drove  along  in  the  luxurious  equipage,  even  he,  like  the 
child,  could  scarce  believe  that  the  desperate  fight  at  Smolensk, 
the  even  longer  and  more  obstinate  contest  at  Borodino,  and 
the  terrible  scenes  on  the  retreat,  were  realities.  On  his  re- 
turn to  the  palace,  Julian  understood  the  object  of  the  Count 
in  having  taken  him  for  a  drive,  for  he  found  the  armoires  and 
wardrobes  of  his  room  crammed  with  garments  of  all  descrip- 
tions.' 

Here  was  underclothing  of  every  kind,  sufficient  for  a  life- 
time ;  morning  suits,  riding  suits,  dress  suits,  visiting  suits,  in 
bewildering  variety.  In  one  wardrobe  were  three  superb  over- 
coats, lined  with  the  most  costly  furs,  half  a  dozen  fur  caps 
of  various  patterns,  four  huge  fur  rugs,  high  boots  lined  with 
fur,  a  dozen  pairs  of  fur  gloves  for  walking  and  driving  ;  and 
arranged  along  the  wall  were  ten  pairs  of  boots  of  different 
kinds,  fur-lined  slippers,  and  dress  boots.  He  examined  them 
all  with  something  like  consternation. 

"What  nonsense!"  he  exclaimed.  "What  am  I  to  do 
with  all  these  things?  It  is  magnificent;  but  it  is  too  much 
altogether.  Why,  these  furs  alone  are  worth  hundreds  of 
pounds !  No  doubt  the  count  is  extremely  rich.  I  have 
already  heard  him  speak  of  three  or  four  estates  in  different 
parts  of  Russia,  and  this  palace  is  fit  for  a  prince.  Of  course, 
he  can  afford  it  well  enough,  but  to  me  all  this  is  quite  over- 
powering. I  should  like  to  see  Aunt's  face  if  I  were  to  turn 
up  at  Weymouth  with  all  this  kit." 

There  was  a  letter  lying  on  the  table.  He  opened  it.  It 
was,  as  he  had  expected,  from  the  count. 

"My  dear  Mr.  Wyatt,  you  will,  I  am  sure,  accept  the  little 
outfit  that  I  have  provided,  in  the  same  spirit  in  which  I  have 
obtained  it,  and  will  oblige  me  by  making  no  allusion  to  it 
whatever,  or  to  the  contents  of  the  enclosed  pocket-book, 
which  will  provide  you  with  ready-money  while  you  are  stay- 


IN    COMFORTABLE   QUARTERS  301 

ing  here.  They  are  but  poor  tokens  of  the  life-long  obliga- 
tions you  have  conferred  upon  the  countess  and  myself." 

The  pocket-book  contained  a  roll  of  Russian  notes  to  the 
value  of  a  thousand  pounds.  Julian  felt  that  there  was  in- 
deed nothing  to  do  but,  as  the  letter  said,  to  accept  the  pres- 
ents in  the  spirit  in  which  they  were  made.  Everything 
showed  that  thoughtful  kindness  had  been  exercised.  On 
the  dressing-table  stood  a  superb  travelling-case  of  Russian 
leather,  fitted  with  all  necessaries  of  the  toilet  in  ivory, 
mounted  with  silver,  and  with  his  initials  engraved  upon  the 
back  of  the  various  brushes.  Hitherto  he  had  made  no  attempt 
to  remove  the  soft  brown  beard  that  had  grown  untouched 
from  the  day  when  the  army  had  turned  its  back  upon  Mos- 
cow. He  now  set  to  and  shaved  himself,  and  then  dressed 
for  dinner.  In  glancing  at  one  of  the  long  cheval  glasses 
in  the  room,  he  could  not  but  feel  a  distinct  satisfaction 
at  his  appearance.  Except  in  shop  windows  in  Germany, 
he  had  not,  since  he  left  home,  had  the  opportunity  of 
seeing  more  of  himself  than  could  be  gathered  from  the  tiny 
glass  that  formed  part  of  his  kit. 

He  now  saw  himself  as  he  was,  a  tall  figure  of  six  feet  two 
in  height,  with  a  broad  pair  of  shoulders.  The  scenes  of  the 
last  six  months  had  given  an  expression  of  power  and  decision 
to  his  face  that  it  had  lacked  before.  The  stern,  set  look  of 
battle  had  left  its  mark  upon  it,  and  though  a  distinctly  pleas- 
ant and  kindly  one,  it  was  undoubtedly  that  of  a  soldier  who 
had  seen  hard  service  and  had  looked  death  many  times  in 
the  face.  All  question  as  to  what  he  should  say  to  the  count 
was  set  at  rest  on  his  entry  into  the  drawing-room,  for  the  count 
took  him  by  the  hand,  and,  leading  him  across  the  room,  pre- 
sented him  to  the  countess,  who  had  for  the  first  time  made 
her  appearance.  She  rose  as  they  came  across,  and  with 
trembling  hands  and  eyes  full  of  tears,  came  up  to  him. 

"  Ah,  Mr.  Wyatt,"  she  said,  "  what  can  I  say  to  the  saviour 


302  THROUGH   RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

of  my  child  ?  I  have  had  difficulty  in  restraining  my  patience 
so  long ;  but  it  was  only  to-day  that  the  doctor  gave  me  per- 
mission to  leave  my  room. ' ' 

She  held  out  both  her  hands  to  him.  He  bowed  deeply 
over  them  and  raised  them  to  his  lips.  "  My  happiness  is  no 
less  than  your  own,  countess,"  he  said,  "that  God  has  per- 
mitted me  to  be  the  means  of  bringing  your  child  back  again. 
It  was  no  great  thing  to  do  on  my  part;  and,  as  I  have  told 
the  count,  the  little  act  of  kindness  was  vastly  more  than 
repaid,  for  your  daughter  assuredly  saved  my  life  from  the 
peasants,  as  I  saved  hers  from  the  cold.  Your  little  daugh- 
ter is  quite  a  heroine,"  he  said  more  lightly.  "  I  can 
assure  you  that  even  when  the  bullets  were  flying  about 
thickly  she  evinced  no  signs  of  fear,  and  the  way  in  which 
she  stood  before  me  facing  those  enraged  peasants  was 
splendid." 

"It  shows  her  perfect  faith  in  you,  Mr.  Wyatt.  A  child 
who  has  absolute  confidence  in  the  person  in  whose  charge 
she  is,  is  almost  without  fear.  Her  idea  of  danger  is  derived 
almost  entirely  from  the  conduct  of  those  around  her.  If  they 
show  fear,  she  is  terrified  ;  while  if  their  manner  convinces  her 
that  they  have  no  fear,  she  does  not  understand  that  danger 
can  exist.  She  is  evidently  deeply  attached  to  you,  as  indeed 
she  has  reason  to  be,  and  when  I  get  tired  with  talking  to  her, 
and  say  to  her,  '  Now  you  must  go,  dear,'  she  trots  off  as  con- 
tentedly to  you  as  if  you  were  indeed  what  she  calls  you,  her 
nurse,  much  more  so  than  she  used  to  do  to  Claire.  The  poor 
woman  was  a  most  careful  nurse  and  an  excellent  instructress, 
although  she  did  start  so  madly,  as  it  would  seem,  on  this 
journey.  But  the  child  never  really  took  to  her,  as  she  had 
not  the  faculty  of  winning  affection.  She  was  thoroughly 
trustworthy,  and  would,  I  believe,  have  given  her  life  for  the 
child,  but  she  was  certainly  rather  precise  in  manner,  and  was 
perhaps  a  little  too  peremptory  in  giving  her  orders.  That 


IN    COMFORTABLE    QUARTERS  G03 

was,  I  admit,  a  fault  on  the  right  side,  for  Stephanie  is  so  ac- 
customed to  adulation  on  the  part  of  the  servants,  that  she 
rather  needs  a  firm  hand  over  her.  However,  the  child  has 
scarcely  mentioned  Claire's  name  since  her  return,  while  yours 
is  incessantly  on  her  lips. ' ' 

"  She  has  not  been  in  any  way  spoilt  by  adulation,  Countess, 
and  has  been  as  amenable  to  my  slightest  wish  as  the  humblest 
peasant  child  could  be ;  but  she  certainly  has  a  pretty  little 
air  of  dignity.  It  was  funny  to  see  how  she  queened  it  among 
the  French  soldiers,  who  always  called  her  Mademoiselle  la 
Comtesse,  and  always  put  aside  the  best  piece  of  their  scanty 
ration  of  meat  for  her. ' ' 

"  Yes,  she  has  been  telling  me  how  good  they  were  to  her. 
What  a  war  this  has  been,  Mr.  Wyatt." 

So  they  chatted  until  dinner  was  announced ;  then  the 
countess  lay  down  on  the  sofa,  and  Stephanie  came  in  and  sat 
on  a  low  stool  beside  her,  while  her  father  and  Julian  went  to 
the  dining-room.  After  the  meal  was  over  the  count  proposed 
that  Julian  should  accompany  him  on  a  visit  to  the  Nobles' 
Club.  The  sledge  was  already  waiting  at  the  door,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  they  arrived,  not,  as  Julian  had  expected,  at  a 
stately  building,  but  at  a  garden. 

"  This  is  our  skating  place,"  the  count  said  as  they  entered. 
"We  have  guest-nights  here  once  a  week  during  the  winter. 
As  a  rule,  those  present  are  simply  the  invited  guests  of  mem- 
bers ;  but  to-night  the  tickets  are  sold  at  twenty  roubles  each, 
and  the  proceeds  go  to  the  funds  for  the  benefit  of  the  wounded. 
It  will  furnish  a  handsome  sum,  for  everyone  is  here,  and  there 
are  few  indeed  who  have  paid  as  little  as  the  twenty  roubles. 
Some  sent  cheques  for  as  much  as  five  hundred  roubles  for 
their  tickets,  and  a  hundred  may  be  taken  as  the  average. 
This  is  the  first  time  that  we  have  had  a  military  band,  for 
music  is  naturally  considered  out  of  place  when  everyone  is  in 
mourning  and  such  vast  numbers  of  our  soldiers  are  still  suffer- 


304  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

ing  horribly ;  but  as  this  is  for  their  benefit  it  is  considered 
as  an  exception.  You  will  not  see  much  skating ;  the  ice  will 
be  far  too  crowded." 

It  was  indeed  a  brilliant  scene.  The  gardens  were  lighted 
with  myriads  of  lamps.  The  sheet  of  ice  was  of  a  very  irreg- 
ular shape  and  broken  by  several  islets,  upon  which  grew  trees. 
From  their  branches  hung  numbers  of  lanterns,  while  the  bank 
round  the  ice  was  studded  with  lamps.  The  crowds  walking 
about  by  the  edge  of  the  lake  were  all  wrapped  up  in  furs.  A 
large  proportion  of  those  on  skates  wore  uniforms,  while  the 
ladies  were  in  short,  tightly-fitting  jackets,  trimmed  with  fur, 
and  with  coquettish  little  fur  caps.  The  crowd  was  far  too 
great  for  any  attempt  at  figure-skating,  but  they  moved  swiftly 
round  and  round  the  lake  in  a  sort  of  procession,  each  lady 
accompanied  by  a  cavalier,  who  held  her  hand,  and  all  skating 
with  a  grace  and  freedom  that  was  to  Julian  surprising  indeed. 
The  scene,  with  its  bright  colours  and  rapid  movement,  was 
almost  bewildering,  and  Julian  was  glad  to  turn  away  and  go 
up  to  the  pavilion,  where  hot  coffee  and  liquors  were  handed 
to  all  comers. 

The  count  spoke  to  many  acquaintances,  introducing  Julian 
to  each  of  them  as  his  great  friend,  Monsieur  Wyatt,  an 
Englishman.  After  waiting  an  hour  in  the  gardens  they  drove 
to  the  club  itself.  There  were  here  a  large  number  of  gentle- 
men, all  of  whom  had  been  for  a  few  minutes  at  the  garden. 
Here  more  introductions  took  place,  and  the  count  put  down 
Julian's  name  as  an  honorary  member.  "  You  will  have  a  long 
day's  work  to-morrow,  Monsieur  Wyatt." 

"  How  is  that,  Count?  " 

"It  will  be  your  duty  to  call  upon  every  gentleman  to 
whom  I  have  introduced  you ;  that  is  to  say,  to  leave  a  card 
at  the  door,  and  every  one  of  them  will  leave  a  card  at  my 
house  for  you.  I  will  make  out  a  list  for  you  in  the  morning 
of  the  names  and  addresses.  You  will  find  a  sledge  at  the  door 


IN  COMFORTABLE  QUARTERS  305 

at  three  o'clock  ;  it  will  be  at  your  disposal  while  you  remain 
with  me.  It  is  a  small  and  light  one,  like  this,  with  a  pair  of 
horses.  It  is  seldom  that  three  horses  are  used  unless  ladies  are 
of  the  party.  There  is  much  for  you  to  see,  and  it  will  be 
more  pleasant  for  you  to  be  your  own  master  and  go  about 
as  you  please. ' ' 

The  following  morning,  after  breakfast,  the  count  said,  as 
they  lit  their  cigars,  "  Have  you  formed  any  plans  yet,  Mr. 
Wvutt  ?  Of  course  I  do  not  mean  for  the  present.  It  is  un- 
derstood that  this  is  your  home  as  long  as  you  will  be  good 
enough  to  make  it  so,  and  the  longer  you  stay  the  greater  pleas- 
ure it  will  give  us  ;  but  I  mean  for  the  future.  Are  you  think- 
ing of  returning  to  England  ?  " 

"I  am  intending  to  write  at  once  to  my  brother.  Whether 
he  is  at  home  or  not,  of  course  I  cannot  say.  He  was  going 
into  the  army,  but  I  greatly  fear  that  the  unfortunate  affair  in 
which  I  was  engaged  will  have  rendered  that  impossible.  At 
any  rate,  I  shall  also  write  to  my  aunt ;  if  alive  she  is  sure  to 
be  there.  In  the  first  place,  I  shall  tell  them  what  has  become  of 
me.  There  has  been  no  possibility  of  my  sending  a  letter 
from  the  time  I  left  home,  with  the  exception  of  one  written 
while  crossing  the  Channel,  and  which  the  smugglers  promised 
to  deliver  on  their  return.  They  must  think  that  I  am  dead 
by  this  time,  and  my  letter  will,  at  any  rate,  relieve  their 
anxiety.  In  the  next  place,  I  am  most  anxious  to  know  if 
anything  has  been  heard  further  from  the  smuggler.  He  gave 
me  his  solemn  promise  that  in  the  event  of  his  death  a  letter 
acknowledging  that  he  was  the  murderer  should  be  sent  to  the 
magistrates  of  Weymouth.  I  have  no  reason  in  the  world 
for  supposing  that  he  is  dead,  for  he  was  not  above  middle 
age,  and  if,  as  is  but  too  probable,  no  such  letter  had  been 
received,  I  cannot  return  home.  I  might,  however,  return  to 
London,  and  thence  take  ship  to  some  foreign  country — either 
to  the  United  States  or  to  South  America,  or  perhaps  to  our 


306  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

own  colony  of  Canada,  and  make  my  way  there  or  enlist  in 
the  English  army. ' ' 

' '  Or  you  might  stay  here  ?  ' ' 

"  I  might  stay  here,  count,  but  as  I  am  ignorant  of  Russian, 
and  have  no  trade  or  profession,  I  do  not  well  see  what  I  could 
possibly  do." 

"  You  would  not  be  long  in  picking  up  Russian,"  the  count 
said,  "and  if  you  could  make  up  your  mind  to  settle  down 
here  until  you  learn  that  your  innocence  of  this  foul  charge  has 
been  completely  proved,  there  would  be  no  necessity  for  any 
trade  or  profession.  Why,  Monsieur,  you  do  not  suppose  that 
the  countess  and  I  are  without  heart,  or  would  allow  you,  the 
preserver  of  our  child,  to  struggle  for  an  existence  here  or  any- 
where else  !  We  have  more  money  than  we  know  what  to  do 
with.  We  have  six  estates  in  different  parts  of  Russia.  We 
have  some  ten  thousand  serfs.  However,  we  can  settle  nothing 
until  you  receive  an  answer  to  your  letter;  after  that  we  will 
talk  matters  over  seriously.  At  any  rate,  do  not  trouble  about 
your  future.  This  is  the  reason  that  I  have  spoken  to  you  to- 
day. Your  future  is  our  care,  and  you  can  leave  it  safely 
in  our  hands." 

"You  are  too  good  altogether,  Count,"  Julian  said;  but 
the  Russian  checked  him  with  a  peremptory  gesture  of  his 
hand. 

"  Let  us  have  no  talk  like  that,  Mr.  Wyatt.  You  will  only 
pain  me  deeply,  and  make  me  think  less  well  of  you  than  I 
do  now.  Stephanie  is  to  us  infinitely  more  than  all  our  pos- 
sessions, and  did  we  assign  to  you  all  else  that  we  have  in  the 
world  we  should  feel  that  the  balance  of  obligation  was  still 
against  us.  Now  let  us  talk  of  other  matters.  In  the  first 
place,  about  sending  your  letter.  Of  course,  at  present  the 
Baltic  is  frozen,  and  the  ports  beyond  are  all  in  the  hands  of 
the  French.  Sweden,  however,  is  in  alliance  with  us,  and  our 
despatches  for  England  go  up  through  Finland,  then  across  the 


IN  COMFORTABLE  QUARTERS  307 

ice  to  Sweden,  and  by  land  to  Gothenburg,  and  thence  by  sea 
to  England.  It  is  a  round-about  journey,  but  it  is  performed 
rapidly  ;  and  as  there  are  English  packets  always  ready  to  sail 
from  'Gothenburg,  your  letters  should,  under  favourable  cir- 
cumstances, be  in  England  in  a  fortnight. 

' '  I  should  incline  to  advise  you  to  write  them  in  duplicate, 
for  the  packet  might  be  captured  by  a  French  privateer  on  its 
way,  and  it  would  be  safer  therefore  to  despatch  copies  of  your 
letters  ten  days  after  those  you  first  send  off.  In  five  weeks,  if 
all  goes  well,  you  may  expect  an  answer.  In  the  meantime,  I 
hope  you  will  find  enough  to  amuse  you  here,  although  the 
opera  is  closed,  and  there  will  be  nothing  like  gaieties  this 
season ;  still,  there  will  be  dinner  parties  and  the  club  ;  and 
when  you  feel  that  you  want  a  change  I  have  an  estate  some 
five  hours'  sledge  drive  from  here.  It  consists  largely  of  forest, 
but  there  is  plenty  of  game,  elk  and  bears.  If  you  are  fond 
of  shooting  I  can  promise  you  good  sport. ' ' 

"Thanks,  indeed,  Count.  lam  quite  sure  that  I  shall' not 
be  tired  of  St.  Petersburg  in  five  or  six  weeks'  time,  and  as  for 
shooting,  I  do  not  feel  at  present  as  if  I  should  ever  care  to  fire 
a  gun  again,  certainly  not  to  take  life,  unless  to  satisfy  hunger. 
I  have  seen  so  many  horses  and  dogs  die,  and  have  felt  so  much 
pity  for  them  that  I  do  not  think  that  I  shall  ever  bring  my- 
self to  take  the  life  of  a  dumb  beast  again.  I  am  afraid  I  be- 
came somewhat  callous  to  human  life.  I  have  seen  thousands 
of  men  die,  and  came  somehow  to  regard  it  as  their  fate  ;  and 
certainly,  during  the  retreat  it  came  in  most  cases  as  a  happy 
release  from  suffering.  But  I  could  never,  to  the  end,  see  a 
horse  that  had  fallen  never  to  rise  again,  or  a  starving  dog  lying 
by  its  master's  body,  without  having  intense  pity  for  the  poor 
creatures,  who  had,  through  no  fault  or  will  of  their  own,  come 
to  this  grievous  end.  No  doubt  you,  as  a  sportsman,  Count, 
may  consider  this  as  overstrained  feeling.  I  am  quite  willing 
to  admit  that  it  may  be  so.  I  can  only  say  that  at  present  I 


308  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

would  not  fire  at  an  elk  or  a  bear  on  any  condition  what- 
ever. ' ' 

"  I  can  understand  your  feelings.  I  myself  have  had  the 
cry  of  a  horse  pulled  down  by  wolves,  in  my  ears  for  days, 
and  I  can  well  imagine  how  the  sight  of  so  much  suffering  day 
after  day  among  thousands  of  animals  would  in  time  affect 
one." 

The  next  three  weeks  passed  most  pleasantly  for  Julian. 
Every  day  there  were  calls  to  make,  excursions  to  various 
points  to  be  undertaken,  and  dinner  parties  nearly  every  even- 
ing, either  at  the  count's,  at  the  houses  of  his  friends,  or  at 
the  club.  He  found  French  almost  universally  spoken  among 
the  upper  class,  and  was  everywhere  cordially  welcomed  as  a 
friend  of  the  count's.  The  latter  was  sometimes  questioned 
by  his  intimate  acquaintances  as  to  his  English  friend,  and  to 
them  he  replied,  "  Monsieur  Wyatt  is  the  son  of  a  colonel  in 
the  English  army.  He  has  rendered  me  a  very  great  service, 
the  nature  of  which  I  am  not  at  liberty  to  disclose.  Suffice 
that  the  obligation  is  a  great  one,  and  that  I  regard  him  as 
one  of  my  dearest  friends.  Some  day,  possibly,  my  lips  may 
be  unsealed,  but  you  must  at  present  be  content  to  take  him 
on  my  sponsorship." 

The  countess  had  gained  strength  rapidly,  and  there  were 
no  grounds  for  any  further  uneasiness  as  to  her  health;  she 
was  now  able  to  take  daily  drives  with  Stephanie. 

"The  child  has  become  quite  a  military  enthusiast,"  she 
said  to  Julian  one  day.  "  Nothing  pleases  her  so  much  as  to 
look  on  at  the  troops  drilling." 

St.  Petersburg  was  indeed  crowded  with  soldiers.  New 
armies  were  rising  in  all  parts  of  Russia,  and  great  prepara- 
tions were  being  made  to  recommence  the  campaign  in  the 
spring,  this  time  upon  foreign  ground.  No  sacrifices  were  too 
great  to  demand  from  the  people.  Nobles  and  merchants 
vied  with  each  other  in  the  amount  of  their  contributions. 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  309 

and  as  it  was  certain  that  Austria,  and  probably  Prussia  would 
join  the  alliance,  hopes  were  entertained  that  the  power  that 
had  dominated  Europe  for  so  many  years  would  be  finally 
crushed.  Already  serious  disasters  had  fallen  upon  France  in 
Spain.  It  was  probable  that  ere  long  the  whole  of  the  Penin- 
sula would  be  wrested  from  her,  and  that  she  would  be  threat- 
ened with  an  invasion  in  the  south,  as  well  as  in  the  east.  In 
spite,  therefore,  of  the  terrible  losses  and  calamities  she  had 
suffered,  Russia  looked  forward  with  ardent  hope  and  expec- 
tations to  the  future. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING 

FRANK  WYATT'S  work  throughout  the  campaign  had 
been  arduous  in  the  extreme.  It  is  true  that  it  was 
done  on  horseback  instead  of  on  foot,  that  he  had  not  hunger 
to  contend  against,  and  that  for  the  most  part  his  nights  were 
passed  in  a  shelter  of  some  kind.  But  from  daybreak  until 
sunset,  and  frequently  till  midnight,  he  was  incessantly 
occupied,  from  the  moment  when  Napoleon  turned  his  back 
on  Moscow,  until  the  last  remnant  of  his  army  crossed  the 
frontier.  Until  after  the  battle  at  Malo-Jaroslavets  on  the 
24th  of  October,  when  the  French  army  owed  its  safety  solely 
to  Kutusow's  refusal  to  hurl  all  his  forces  against  it,  he  had 
remained  at  headquarters,  where  he  was  assisted  in  his  work 
by  the  Earl  of  Tyrconnel,  who  was  now  also  acting  as  aide-de- 
camp to  Sir  Robert  Wilson.  He  was  a  delightful  companion 
and  a  most  gallant  young  officer,  and  a  fast  friendship  became 
established  between  him  and  Frank,  during  the  time  the  Rus- 
sian army  was  remaining  inactive,  while  Napoleon  was  wast- 
ing the  precious  time  at  Moscow,  unable  to  bring  himself  to 
acknowledge  the  absolute  failure  of  his  plans  caused  by  the 


310  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

refusal  of  the  Russians  to  treat  with  him,  after  his  occupation 
of  their  ancient  capital.  But  after  Kutusow  had  allowed  the 
French  to  slip  past  they  saw  but  little  of  each  other,  for  one 
or  other  of  them  was  always  with  the  troops  pressing  hard  on 
the  French  rear,  it  being  their  duty  to  keep  Sir  Robert,  who 
was  necessarily  obliged  to  stay  at  headquarters,  thoroughly 
informed  of  all  that  was  going  on  in  front,  and  of  the  move- 
ments both  of  the  French  and  Russian  divisions. 

Sir  Robert  himself  was  so  utterly  disgusted  with  the  ob- 
stinacy and,  it  almost  seemed,  deliberate  treachery  of  Kutusow 
that,  for  the  most  part,  he  accompanied  General  Benningsen, 
who  was  a  prompt  and  dashing  soldier,  and  who,  with  the 
whole  of  the  Russian  generals,  was  as  furious  with  the  apathy 
and  delays  of  the  worn-out  old  man  who  was  in  command,  as 
they  had  been  with  those  of  Barclay.  The  English  general 
still  acted  as  the  Emperor's  special  representative,  and  kept 
him  fully  acquainted  with  all  that  was  going  on.  Alexander 
was  as  much  dissatisfied  as  were  his  generals  and  soldiers  with 
Kutusow's  refusal  to  put  an  end  to  the  terrible  struggle,  by  an 
action  which  must  have  ended  in  the  destruction  or  capture 
of  Napoleon  and  his  army.  He  felt,  however,  that  he  could 
not  at  present  remove  him  from  his  command.  Kutusow  was 
a  member  of  the  old  nobility,  who  were  straining  every  nerve  for 
the  national  cause,  were  stripping  their  estates  of  their  serfs,  and 
emptying  their  coffers  into  the  military  chests,  and  who  would 
have  greatly  resented  his  removal. 

The  people  at  large,  too,  overjoyed  at  the  retreat  of 
Napoleon  and  the  success  of  their  arms,  and  ignorant  of  all 
the  real  circumstances  of  the  case,  regarded  Kutusow  with 
enthusiastic  admiration  ;  and  Alexander  felt  that,  great  as 
might  be  his  faults,  the  injury  that  would  be  inflicted  by  his 
supercession  would  be  greater  than  the  benefits  derived  from 
it.  An  ample  supply  of  horses  had  been  placed  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  English  general  and  his  aides-de-camp,  and  Frank, 


THE  LAST  OF  A  VETERAN  OF  NAPOLEON'S  GRANDE  ARMEE. 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  311 

having  three  always  at  his  orders,  was  able  to  ride  them  by 
turns,  and  therefore  got  through  an  immense  amount  of  work. 
The  scenes  that  everywhere  met  his  eyes  were  far  more  trying 
than  the  fatigues  he  had  to  undergo.  The  hideous  barbarities 
that  were  perpetrated  by  the  peasants  upon  the  French  who 
fell  into  their  hands,  filled  him  with  burning  indignation,  and 
at  times  placed  his  life  in  serious  danger  when  he  endeavoured 
to  interfere  on  their  behalf.  He  always  started  on  his  rides  in 
the  morning  with  his  saddle-bag  stored  with  provisions,  and  a 
small  keg  of  spirits  fastened  behind  him,  and  these  were  divided 
during  the  dayamong  the  unfortunate  men,  Russians  and  French 
alike,  who,  wounded  or  exhausted,  had  sunk  by  the  way. 

Innumerable  were  the  appeals  made  to  him  daily  to  end 
their  sufferings  with  a  pistol-ball ;  and,  although  he  could  not 
bring  himself  to  give  them  the  relief  they  craved,  on  several 
occasions,  when  he  saw  that  the  case  was  altogether  beyond 
hope,  and  that  but  a  few  hours  of  mortal  agony  remained,  he 
yielded  to  their  entreaties,  handed  them  one  of  his  pistols, 
and  walked  a  few  paces  away,  until  the  sharp  report  told  him 
that  their  sufferings  were  over. 

The  horrors  of  the  hospitals  at  Wilna  and  other  places 
affected  him  even  more  than  the  scenes  of  carnage  that  he  had 
witnessed  at  Borodino.  At  Wilna  the  Earl  of  Tyrconnel  was 
seized  with  a  fever  and  died,  and  Frank  lay  for  some  time  ill, 
and  would  probably  have  succumbed  had  not  Sir  Robert  ob- 
tained a  lodging  for  him  at  the  house  of  a  landed  resident, 
three  or  four  miles  from  the  infected  city.  He  was,  in  a  sense, 
thankful  for  the  illness,  because  it  spared  him  the  sight  of  the 
last  agony  of  the  broken  remains  of  Napoleon's  army.  Quiet 
and  rest  soon  did  their  work.  T^he  breakdown  was  the  result 
more  of  over-fatigue,  and  of  the  horrors  of  which  he  was  so 
continually  a  witness,  than  of  actual  fever.  Frank,  therefore, 
rapidly  recovered,  and  declared  after  a  fortnight  that  he  could 
again  sit  on  his  horse. 


312  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

The  general,  however,  would  not  hear  of  this. 

"  I  shall  be  leaving  for  St.  Petersburg  myself  in  a  few  days," 
he  said,  "and  we  will  travel  together  by  post.  You  will  be 
sorry  to  hear  that  to-day  Kutusow  has  been  decorated  with  the 
great  order  of  St.  George.  The  Emperor  himself  begged  me 
not  to  be  present.  He  called  me  into  his  cabinet  and  con- 
fessed to  me  that  it  would  be  too  humiliating  to  him  were  I  to 
be  there.  He  acknowledged  that  he  felt  by  decorating  this 
man  with  the  great  Order  he  was  committing  a  trespass  upon 
the  institution  ;  but  he  had  no  choice.  It  was  a  cruel  neces- 
sity to  which  he  had  to  submit,  although  he  well  knew  that  the 
marshal  had  done  few  things  he  ought  to  have  done,  with 
nothing  against  the  enemy  that  he  could  avoid,  and  that  all 
his  successes  had  been  forced  upon  him." 

Sir  Robert  himself  had  urgent  need  of  change  and  rest. 
The  responsibility  upon  his  shoulders  had  been  tremendous. 
The  Emperor  had  relied  upon  him  entirely  for  information  as 
to  the  true  state  of  things  in  the  army,  and  the  Russian  gene- 
rals regarding  him  as  specially  the  Emperor's  representative, 
had  poured  their  complaints  into  his  ears. 

Had  they  but  received  the  slightest  encouragement  from  him 
they  would  have  led  their  divisions  against  the  French  in  spite 
of  the  orders  of  the  marshal,  and  it  was  with  the  greatest  diffi- 
culty that  he  persuaded  them  to  restrain  their  exasperated 
troops,  and  to  submit  to  carry  out  the  disastrous  policy,  which 
entailed  as  much  loss  and  suffering  upon  the  Russian  soldiers 
as  upon  the  French. 

It  was  the  end  of  January  when  Sir  Robert  Wilson  and 
Frank  reached  St.  Petersburg,  and,  putting  up  in  apartments 
assigned  to  them  in  the  palace,  rested  for  a  few  days. 

One  bright  morning  Frank  strolled  down  to  the  Nobles' 
Club,  of  which  he  and  the  general  had  been  made  honorary 
members.  It  was  his  first  visit  to  St.  Petersburg.  His  fur 
coat  was  partly  open  and  showed  his  British  uniform.  He 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  313 

was  looking  about  with  interest  at  the  scene  in  the  Nevsky 
Prospect  when  he  noticed  a  gentleman  in  a  handsomely  ap- 
pointed sledge  looking  fixedly  at  him.  As  the  uniform  at- 
tracted general  attention  he  thought  little  of  this,  but  after 
going  a  short  distance  the  sledge  turned  and  passed  him  at  a 
slow  rate  of  speed.  The  gentleman  again  gazed  fixedly  at 
him,  then  stopped  the  coachman,  and  leaped  from  the  sledge 
to  the  pavement. 

"  Frank  !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  is  it  you,  or  am  I  dreaming  ?  " 

Frank  stepped  back  a  pace  in  astonishment.  It  was  the 
voice  rather  than  the  face  that  he  recognized. 

"Julian  !  "  burst  from  his  lips,  "  my  brother,  can  it  be  really 
you?" 

Julian  held  out  both  his  hands,  and  they  stood  for  a  moment 
in  silence,  gazing  into  each  other's  face.  Julian  was  the  first 
to  break  the  silence. 

"Jump  in  here,  Frank,"  he  said,  leading  the  way  to  the 
sledge.  "  They  must  all  think  that  we  have  gone  mad,  and 
we  shall  have  a  crowd  round  us  in  a  minute." 

Still  completely  bewildered,  Frank  followed  his  brother. 

"  Drive  out  into  the  country,"  Julian  said  to  the  coachman 
as  he  took  his  seat.  "This  is  little  short  of  a  miracle,  old 
fellow,"  he  said,  as  they  drove  off.  "  I  thought  you  were 
living  quietly  at  Weymouth  ;  you  thought  I  was  rotting  in  a 
French  prison,  and  here  we  run  against  each  other  in  the  heart 
of  Russia." 

"  I  can  hardly  believe  even  yet  that  it  is  you,  Julian,  you 
have  altered  so  tremendously.  Thank  God,  old  man,  that  I 
have  found  you." 

"  Thank  God,  my  dear  Frank,  that,  as  I  see,  that  stupid 
business  of  mine  has  not  prevented  your  entering  the  army,  as 
I  was  afraid  it  would  do ;  though  how  you  come  to  be  here  is 
more  than  I  can  guess." 

"  I  am  General  Wilson's  aide-de-camp,  and  have  been  with 


314  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

him  all  through  the  Avar ;  and  you,  Julian,  what  on  earth  are 
you  doing  here?  But  first  of  all,  I  suppose  you  have  not 
heard  that  you  have  been  cleared  completely  of  that  charge  of 
murder. ' ' 

Julian's  face  paled  at  the  sudden  news,  and  he  sat  for  a 
minute  or  two  in  silence. 

"  Quite  cleared,  Frank  ?  "  he  asked  in  a  low  tone  ;  "  cleared 
r;o  that  no  doubt  remains,  and  that  I  can  go  home  without 
fear  of  having  it  thrown  into  my  face?  " 

''Completely  and  entirely,"  Frank  replied.  "You  were 
cleared  before  you  had  been  gone  a  day.  The  coroner's  jury 
brought  in  an  open  verdict,  but  a  warrant  was  issued  against 
that  poacher  Markham  ;  and  your  letter  first,  and  his  confes- 
sion a  year  later,  completely  bore  out  the  evidence  at  the  in- 
quest, and  established  his  guilt  beyond  question." 

"  To  think  that  I  should  never  have  known  it,"  Julian  said. 
"  If  I  had  dreamt  of  it  I. would  have  attempted  to  break  out 
from  Verdun,  and  make  my  way  home.  I  don't  know  that  I 
should  have  succeeded,  but  at  any  rate  I  should  have  tried. 
But  tell  me  all  about  it,  Frank ;  my  story  will  keep  just  at 
present. ' ' 

"You  seem  to  have  fallen  on  your  legs,  anyhow,"  Frank 
remarked.  "May  I  ask  if  this  is  your  Imperial  Highness's 
sledge.  I  have  learned  something  of  the  value  of  furs  since  I 
came  out  here,  and  that  coat  of  yours  is  certainly  worth  a 
hundred  pounds,  and  this  sable  rug  as  much  more." 

"It  is  not  my  sledge,  nor  is  it  my  rug,  though  I  have  two 
or  three  of  them  quite  as  handsome.  The  coat  is  my  own, 
the  sledge  belongs  to  my  intimate  friend  Count  Woronski, 
with  whom  I  am  at  present  staying." 

"You  really  must  tell  me  your  story  first,"  Frank  said, 
laughing.  "  Now  that  you  know  you  are  cleared,  you  can 
very  well  wait  to  hear  all  the  details,  and  I  refuse  to  say  a 
word  until  you  have  told  me  what  all  this  means." 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  315 

"Well,  Frank,"  Julian  said  seriously,  "  mine  is  not  alto- 
gether a  pleasant  story  to  tell  now ;  but  I  acted  for  the  best, 
and  under  the  belief  that  there  was  no  chance  of  my  being 
able  to  return  for  years  to  England.  The  story  is  too  long 
for  me  to  give  you  the  details  now,  but  I  will  give  you  the 
broad  facts.  I  was  sent  prisoner  to  Verdun.  I  was  there 
about  ten  months.  There  was  fever  in  the  place,  and  we  died 
off  like  sheep.  There  seemed  no  possibility  of  escape,  and  if 
I  could  have  got  away  I  could  not,  as  I  thought,  make  for 
England.  I  was  getting  hopeless  and  desperate,  and  I  don't 
think  I  could  have  held  out  much  longer.  Then  there  was  an 
offer  made  to  us  that  any  of  us  who  liked  could  obtain  freedom 
by  enlisting  in  the  French  army.  It  was  expressly  stated  that 
it  was  going  east,  and  that  at  the  end  of  the  campaign  we 
should, — if  our  corps  was  ordered  to  a  place  where  it  was  likely 
to  come  in  contact  with  the  English,  —  be  allowed  to  ex- 
change into  a  regiment  with  another  .destination. 

"  Well,  it  seemed  to  me  that  it  mattered  very  little  what 
became  of  me.  Even  should  I  be  exchanged  and  sent  to 
England  I  could  not  have  stayed  there,  but  must  have  gone 
abroad  to  make  my  living  as  best  I  could,  and  I  thought  I 
might  as  well  go  as  a  soldier  to  Russia  as  anywhere  else ;  so  I 
accepted  the  offer,  little  knowing  what  would  come  of  it. 
I  regretted  it  heartily  when  I  saw  the  misery  that  was  inflicted 
by  the  misconduct,  partly  of  the  French,  but  much  more  of 
the  Poles  and  Germans,  on  the  unfortunate  inhabitants.  How- 
ever, there  I  was,  and  I  did  my  duty  to  the  best  of  my  power. 
When  I  tell  you  that  I  was  in  Ney's  division,  you  may  imagine 
that  I  had  my  share  of  it  all." 

"  Extraordinary  !  "  Frank  said,  "  to  think  that  you  and  I 
should  both  have  been  through  this  campaign,  and  on  opposite 
sides.  Why,  we  must  have  been  within  musket  shot  of  each 
other  a  score  of  times." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  I  saw  you,"  Julian  said;   "  for  I  often 


316  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

made  out  a  bit  of  scarlet  among  the  dark  masses  of  the  Rus- 
sians, and  thought  that  there  must  be  some  English  officers 
with  them.  The  first  time  I  noticed  them  was  on  the  heights 
opposite  to  Smolensk.  Two  officers  in  scarlet  were  with  the 
batteries  they  planted  there  and  drove  our  own  off  the  hill  on 
our  side  of  the  river." 

"  Those  were  the  general  and  myself,  Julian.  We  had  only 
joined  two  days  before.  But  still,  I  am  as  much  in  the  dark 
as  ever.  What  you  have  said  explains  how  you  come  to  be  in 
Russia,  but  it  does  not  at  all  explain  how  you  came  to  be  here 
like  this." 

"  It  was  on  the  day  after  we  got  past  the  Russians.  It  was 
a  strong  place  with  a  hard  name — Jaro  something  or  other. 
The  next  day,  as  we  were  marching  along,  we  came  across  an 
overturned  carriage.  A  coachman  and  a  woman  were  lying 
dead.  On  nearing  it,  I  heard  a  little  cry,  and  I  stepped  out 
from  the  side  of  my  company — I  was  a  sergeant  and  was 
marching  on  the  flank — and  I  found  among  the  cushions  a 
little  girl,  about  six  years  old,  who  was  already  almost  frozen 
to  death.  I  fastened  her  on  to  my  back  under  my  cloak,  and 
carried  her  along  with  me.  She  came  round,  and  was  a  dear 
little  creature.  Well,  I  carried  her  all  through  the  retreat 
Sometimes,  when  there  was  an  alarm,  I  had  time  to  stow  her 
away  in  one  of  the  waggons  ;  when  there  was  not,  she  went 
on  my  back  into  the  middle  of  the  fighting,  and  you  know 
that  was  pretty  rough  occasionally.  However,  we  both  of  us 
seemed  to  possess  a  charm  against  balls.  We  got  on  all  right 
until  the  day  before  we  were  to  arrive  at  the  Berezina.  Then 
I  went  out  foraging  with  some  companions ;  they  got  into 
a  hut,  lit  a  fire,  and  would  not  leave,  so  I  started  alone  with 
her. 

"  I  lost  my  way,  and  was  found  by  a  lot  of  peasants,  who 
would  have  made  very  short  work  of  me,  but  the  child  stepped 
forward  like  a  little  queen  and  told  them  that  she  was  the 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  317 

Countess  of  Woronski,  and  that  her  father  was  a  friend  of  the 
Czar's,  and  that  if  they  sent  us  to  him  they  would  get  a  great 
reward.  Thinking  that  it  was  good  enough,  they  took  us 
to  their  village  and  dressed  me  up  in  peasant's  clothes,  and 
kept  us  there  a  fortnight.  Then  the  head  man  and  the  vil- 
lage Papa  came  with  us  here  by  post.  The  child's  father  and 
mother  had  given  her  up  as  dead,  and  their  gratitude  to  me 
is  boundless.  It  has  been  deemed  unadvisable  to  say  any- 
thing about  my  ever  being  with  the  French,  and  I  am  simply 
introduced  by  the  count  as  an  English  gentleman  whom  he 
regards  as  his  very  dear  friend.  I  sent  letters  home  to  you 
and  Aunt  a  fortnight  since,  and  if  I  had  heard  that  the  charge 
of  murder  was  still  hanging  over  me  I  should  probably  have 
remained  here  for  good.  The  count  has  already  hinted  that 
there  is  an  estate  at  my  disposal.  He  is  as  rich  as  Croesus,  and 
he  and  the  countess  would  be  terribly  hurt  if  I  were  to  refuse 
to  accept  their  tokens  of  gratitude.  They  have  no  other  child 
but  Stephanie,  and  she  is,  of  course,  the  apple  of  their  eye." 

"Well,  you  have  had  luck,  Julian.  I  did  think  that  if 
you  once  got  out  of  prison  you  would  be  likely  to  fall  upon 
your  feet,  because  you  always  had  the  knack  of  making  your- 
self at  home  anywhere  ;  but  I  had  no  idea  of  anything  like  this. 
Well,  I  don't  think  you  are  to  blame  for  having  entered  the 
French  service  rather  than  remaining  a  prisoner,  especially  as 
you  were,  as  far  as  you  knew,  cut  off  from  returning  home. 
Still,  I  agree  with  you  that  it  is  as  well  not  to  talk  about  it  at 
present.  It  is  marvellous  to  think  that  you  were  with  Ney 
through  all  that  fighting.  The  doings  of  the  rear-guard  were, 
I  can  assure  you,  the  subject  of  the  warmest  admiration  on 
the  part  of  the  Russians.  Sir  Robert  Wilson  considers  that 
the  retreat  from  Smolensk  was  one  of  the  most  extraordinary 
military  exploits  ever  performed.  And  so  you  were  made  a 
sergeant  after  Borodino  ?  Well,  Julian,  to  win  your  stripes 
among  such  a  body  as  Ney  led  is  no  slight  honour," 


318  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"  I  received  another,  Frank  ;  not  so  much  for  valour  as  for 
taking  things  easy. "  He  took  from  his  pocket  the  cross  of 
the  Legion  of  Honour.  "  This,  Frank,  is  an  honour  Napoleon 
sent  to  me,  and  Ney  pinned  on  my  breast.  I  would  rather 
that  it  had  been  Wellington  who  sent  it,  and  say  Picton  who 
pinned  it  on ;  but  it  is  a  big  honour  none  the  less,  and  at  any 
rate  it  was  not  won  in  fighting  against  my  own  countrymen. 
This  document  it  is  wrapped  up  in,  is  the  official  guarantee 
that  I  received  on  enlisting,  that  I  should  under  no  circum- 
stances whatever  be  called  upon  to  serve  against  the  English. ' ' 

"You  have  a  right  to  be  proud  of  the  cross,  Julian.  I 
should  be  proud  of  it  myself,  British  officer  as  I  am.  But 
how  do  you  say  that  you  got  it  for  taking  things  easy  ?  ' ' 

"  It  was  not  exactly  for  taking  things  easy,  but  for  keeping 
up  the  men's  spirits.  Discipline  was  getting  terribly  relaxed, 
and  they  were  losing  their  military  bearing  altogether.  A  lot 
of  us  non-commissioned  officers  were  talking  round  a  fire,  and 
I  suggested  that  we  should  start  marching  songs  again  as  we 
used  to  do  on  our  way  through  Germany.  It  would  cheer 
the  men  up,  get  them  to  march  in  military  order  and  time, 
and  shorten  the  road.  Ney  and  some  of  his  staff  happened  to 
be  within  hearing,  and  he  praised  the  idea  much  more  than  it 
deserved.  However,  the  men  took  it  up,  and  the  effect  was 
excellent.  Other  regiments  followed  our  example,  and  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that,  for  a  time,  it  did  have  a  good  effect. 
Ney  reported  the  business  to  Napoleon,  who  issued  an  order 
praising  the  Grenadiers  of  the  Rhone  for  the  example  they 
had  set  the  army,  bestowing  the  Legion  of  Honour  on  me, 
and  ordering  that  henceforth  marching  songs  should  be  sung 
throughout  the  army.  However,  singing  was  dropped  at 
Smolensk.  After  leaving  there  we  were  reduced  to  such  a 
handful  that  we  had  not  the  heart  to  sing,  but  it  did  its  work, 
for  I  believe  that  the  improvement  effected  by  the  singing  in 
the  morale  of  Ney's  troops  had  at  least  something  to  do  with 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  319 

our  being  able  to  keep  together,  and  to  lessen  the  fatigues  of 
those  terrible  marches. 

"  Now  tell  me  more  about  yourself.  How  was  it  that  you 
had  the  wonderful  luck  to  be  chosen  to  accompany  Sir  Robert 
Wilson  as  his  aide-de-camp  ?  " 

"  It  was  to  his  suggestion  when  I  first  joined,  Julian,  and 
to  nearly  a  year's  steady  work  on  my  part.  He  got  me 
gazetted  into  his  old  regiment,  the  i5th  Light  Dragoons,  and 
at  the  same  time  told  me  that  if,  as  was  already  anticipated, 
Russia  broke  off  her  alliance  with  Napoleon,  he  was  likely  to 
be  offered  his  former  position  of  British  commissioner  at  the 
Russian  headquarters.  He  said  that  if  by  the  time  that  came 
off  I  had  got  up  Russian,  he  would  apply  for  me  to  go  with 
him,  so  I  got  hold  of  a  Russian  Pole  in  London,  a  political 
exile,  a  gentleman  and  an  awfully  good  fellow.  I  took  him 
with  me  down  to  Canterbury,  where  our  depot  was,  and 
worked  five  or  six  hours  a  day  with  him  steadily,  so  that 
when,  at  the  outbreak  of  war,  Sir  Robert  got  his  appointment 
he  was  able  to  apply  for  me  upon  the  ground  that  1  had  a 
thoroughly  good  colloquial  knowledge  of  Russian. ' ' 

"You  always  were  a  beggar  to  work,  Frank,"  his  brother 
said  admiringly.  "  I  worked  for  a  bit  myself  pretty  hard  at 
Verdun,  and  got  up  French  well  enough  to  pass  with,  but 
then  you  see  there  was  no  other  mortal  thing  to  do,  and  I 
knew  that  it  would  be  useful  to  me  if  ever  I  saw  a  chance  of 
escape.  Of  course,  at  that  time  I  had  no  idea  of  enlisting  : 
but  it  must  have  been  a  different  thing  altogether  for  a 
young  officer  to  give  up  every  amusement,  as  you  must  have 
done,  and  to  slave  away  at  a  crack-jaw  language  like  Rus- 
sian." 

"  It  required  a  little  self-denial  I  have  no  doubt,  Julian, 
but  the  work  itself  soon  became  pleasant.  You  may  remem- 
ber in  the  old  days  you  used  to  say  that  I  could  say  '  No,' 
while  you  could  not," 


320  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"That  is  true  enough,  Frank.  I  was  a  great  ass  in  those 
days,  but  I  think  that  now  I  have  learnt  something." 

"I  should  think  you  have,  Julian,"  Frank  said,  looking 
closely  at  his  brother.  "  The  expression  of  your  face  has 
very  much  changed,  and  you  certainly  look  as  if  you  could 
say  '  No  '  very  decidedly  now. ' ' 

By  this  time  they  had,  after  a  long  drive,  re-entered  the  city. 

"  You  must  come  home  with  me  first,  Frank.  I  must  intro- 
duce you  to  the  count  and  countess,  and  to  Stephanie.  Then 
to-morrow  morning  you  must  come  round  early.  I.  have 
heard  nothing  yet  as  to  how  the  truth  about  that  murder  came 
out  so  rapidly.  It  seemed  to  me  that  the  evidence  was  con- 
clusive against  me,  and  that  even  the  letter  that  I  wrote  tell- 
ing you  about  it,  was  so  improbable  that  no  one  but  you  and 
Aunt  would  credit,  in  the  slightest." 

"  It  did  look  ugly  at  first,  Julian.  When  I  heard  Faulk- 
ner's deposition  I  could  see  no  way  out  of  it  whatever.  I 
could  not  suppose  that  a  dying  man  would  lie,  and,  absolutely 
sure  of  your  innocence  as  I  was,  could  make  neither  head  nor 
tail  of  the  matter.  Is  this  the  mansion  ?  You  certainly  have 
fallen  on  good  quarters." 

Leaving  their  fur  coats  in  the  hall  they  went  upstairs. 
They  found  the  countess  seated  in  an  arm-chair.  The  count 
was  reading  the  last  gazette  from  the  army  to  her,  and  Steph- 
anie was  playing  with  a  doll.  The  count  and  his  wife  looked 
surprised  as  Julian  entered  with  a  young  English  officer. 

"  I  have  the  honour,  countess,"  Julian  said,  "  to  present  to 
you  my  brother,  who  is  aide-de-camp  to  the  English  General, 
Sir  Robert  Wilson,  whom  he  accompanied  throughout  the 
campaign.  Count,  you  will,  I  am  sure,  rejoice  with  me,  in 
this  unexpected  meeting." 

"  We  are  glad,  indeed,  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  the 
brother  of  our  dear  friend,"  the  countess  said,  holding  out 
her  hand  to  Frank. 


JULIAN   INTRODUCES   STEPHANIE  TO   HIS  BROTHER  FRANK. 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  321 

"  I  regret,  countess,  that  I  am  not  able  to  reply  to  you  in 
French,"  Frank  said  in  Russian.  "I  had  thought  that  Russian 
would  be  absolutely  necessary  here,  but  I  find  that  almost 
everyone  speaks  French.  Had  I  known  that,  I  could  have 
saved  myself  a  good  deal  of  labour,  for  to  us  your  language  is 
very  difficult  to  acquire." 

"You  speak  it  extremely  well,  Mr.  Wyatt,"  the  count 
said.  "  I  can  scarcely  imagine  how  you  have  acquired  such 
familiarity  with  it  in  your  own  country." 

"  I  learned  it  from  a  Russian  Pole,  a  political  exile,  with 
whom  I  worked  for  about  six  hours  a  day  for  nearly  twelve 
months,  in  order  that  I  might  qualify  myself  to  accompany 
Sir  Robert  Wilson." 

"This  is  my  little  friend  Stephanie,  Frank,"  Julian  said, 
lifting  the  child  up  on  his  shoulder,  her  favourite  place. 

"And  this  is  my  Nurse  Julian,"  the  child  said  with  a 
laugh.  "  Isn't  he  a  big  nurse  ?  " 

"  He  is  big,"  Frank  agreed,  looking  up  at  him.  "I  feel 
quite  small  beside  him.  He  was  always  a  great  deal  taller 
than  I  was,  and  he  has  grown  a  good  bit  since  I  saw  him  last. 
But  he  looks  rather  big  for  a  nurse. ' ' 

"  He  is  not  too  big  at  all,"  Stephanie  said  earnestly.  "  He 
could  never  have  carried  me  so  far  if  he  had  not  been  very  big 
and  strong.  Could  he,  papa  ?  ' ' 

"  No,  Stephanie  ;  though  I  think  goodness  of  heart  had  as 
much  to  do  with  it  as  strength  of  body.  Your  brother  has, 
of  course,  told  you,  Mr.  Wyatt,  how  deep  an  obligation  he 
has  laid  us  under. ' ' 

"  He  said  that  he  had  had  the  good  fortune  to  find  your 
little  girl,  and  that  he  took  her  along  with  him  in  the  retreat; 
but  he  seemed  to  consider  that  the  service  she  did  him  when 
they  fell  among  the  Russian  peasants  quite  settled  matters 
between  them.  Doubtless,  they  mutually  saved  each  other's 
lives." 


322  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

"Mr.  Wyatt,"  the  count  said  gravely,  "the  one  act  was 
momentary  and  without  risk.  The  other  was  done  at  the  cost 
of  labour  and  sacrifice  daily  and  hourly  for  nearly  a  month. 
You  have  been  through  the  campaign,  and  know  how  frightful 
were  the  sufferings,  how  overwhelming  the  exhaustion  of  the 
soldiers.  You  can  judge,  then,  how  terrible  was  the  addition 
to  a  soldier's  labours  to  have  to  carry  a  child  like  that  for  so 
long,  when  his  own  strength  was  hourly  weakening,  and  when 
every  additional  pound  of  weight  told  heavily  upon  him.  The 
tears  come  into  the  eyes  of  the  countess  and  myself  every 
time  we  think  of  it.  It  was  an  act  of  self-devotion  beyond 
words ;  altogether  beyond  the  understanding  of  those  who 
know  not  how  terrible  were  the  sufferings  endured  on  the 
march." 

"They  were  indeed  terrible,  Count,"  Frank  said  gravely. 
"  It  was  agony  for  me  to  witness  them,  and  I  cannot  but 
share  your  wonder  how  my  brother  supported  the  extra 
weight,  even  of  your  little  daughter,  and  came  through  it 
safely,  while  tens  of  thousands  of  men  not  so  burdened  fell  and 
died  along  the  road." 

Julian  did  not  understand  what  was  being  said,  but  he 
guessed  by  their  faces  what  they  were  speaking  of. 

"  I  suppose  you  are  saying  that  it  was  hard  work  carrying 
the  child,"  he  broke  in  in  English  ;  "  but  I  can  tell  you  that  I 
believe  it  aided  me  to  get  through.  It  gave  me  something  to 
think  of  besides  the  snow,  the  distance,  and  the  Russians. 
She  was  always  cheerful  and  bright,  and  her  merry  talk  light- 
ened the  way,  but  in  addition  to  that  the  warmth  of  her  body 
against  my  back  by  day  and  curled  up  in  my  arms  at  night, 
greatly  helped  to  keep  life  in  me.  I  think  that  it  was  largely 
due  to  her  that  I  got  through  safely  where  many  men  as 
strong  as  myself  died." 

The  count  looked  inquiringly  at  Frank,  who  translated 
what  Julian  had  said.  He  smiled,  "Your  brother  is  deter- 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  323 

mined  to  try  to  make  out  that  the  obligation  is  all  on  his  side, 
but  it  will  not  do.  There  is  the  simple  fact  that  we  have  our 
little  daughter  again,  safe  and  sound.  If  it  had  not  been  for 
him  she  would  have  been  lost  to  us  for  ever." 

Julian  went  down  to  the  door  with  Frank.  "Of  course 
you  will  tell  the  general  all  about  it,  Frank.  I  suppose  he 
knows  something  of  the  circumstances  under  which  I  went 
away,  as  he  was  a  friend  of  our  father's,  and  got  you  your 
commission,  and  takes  such  an  interest  in  you.  I  daresay  he 
will  be  shocked  to  hear  that  I  have  been  carrying  a  French 
musket,  but  I  am  not  ashamed  of  it  myself,  and  consider  that 
under  the  circumstances  I  was  perfectly  justified  in  doing  so. 
Come  round  in  the  morning  the  first  thing  after  breakfast. 
I  have  yet  to  learn  all  about  how  you  found  out  that  Markham 
committed  that  murder,  and  then  you  can  tell  me,  too,  what 
the  general  says. ' ' 

On  going  upstairs  Julian  told  his  hosts  that  he  had  been 
completely  cleared  of  the  charge  that  had  hung  over  him  and 
darkened  his  life,  and  that  there  was  nothing  to  prevent  him 
from  returning  to  England.  They  expressed  much  gratifica- 
tion at  the  news,  but  at  the  same  time  said  that  for  themselves 
they  could  not  but  regret  that  this  would  prevent  their  having 
the  pleasure  they  had  looked  forward  to  of  having  him  settled 
near  them. 

"This,  however,  we  must  talk  about  again,"  the  count 
said.  "At  any  rate,  I  hope  that  you  will  from  time  to  time 
come  over  to  stay  for  a  while  with  us  and  Stephanie." 

"That  I  will  assuredly  do,  Count,"  Julian  said  warmly. 
"  I  do  not  quite  know  at  present  what  I  shall  do.  As  I  have 
told  you,  I  shall,  in  addition  to  my  share  of  my  father's 
money,  inherit  some  from  my  aunt,  and  shall  be  able,  if  I 
choose,  to  buy  a  small  estate  and  settle  down.  I  am  too  old 
to  go  into  our  army  now,  but,  besides,  I  think  that  ere  long 
this  European  struggle  will  be  over,  and  in  that  case  there 


324  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

will  be  nothing  for  a  soldier  to  do.  Still  in  any  case  I  shall 
be  able  occasionally  to  make  a  voyage  here ;  and  I  can  assure 
you  that  it  will  be  one  of  my  greatest  pleasures  to  do  so." 

Sir  Robert  Wilson  was  greatly  surprised  when  he  heard 
from  Frank  of  his  meeting  with  his  brother,  and  of  the 
adventures  through  which  he  had  passed. 

"I  do  not  blame  him  in  any  way,"  he  said.  "  Had  he 
been  a  king's  soldier  or  sailor  the  matter  would  have  been 
altogether  different.  To  have  entered  a  foreign  army  then 
would  have  been  a  breach  of  his  oaths.  But  as  a  private 
individual  he  was  free  to  take  service  abroad,  as  tens  of 
thousands  of  English,  Scotch,  and  Irish  have  done  before 
him.  It  would,  of  course,  have  been  much  better  had  he 
entered  the  army  of  a  power  friendly  to  England,  but  the 
document  that  he  received  on  enlisting  goes  far  to  absolve 
him  from  any  responsibility  in  the  matter.  At  any  rate, 
he  was  not  a  deserter,  and  seeing  that  he  could  not  go 
back  to  England  even  if  he  escaped,  that  he  was  practically 
friendless  in  the  world,  and  that,  had  he  not  acted  as  he  did 
he  might  have  died  at  Verdun,  I  do  not  think  that  even  a 
severe  moralist  would  be  able  to  find  any  fault  with  his 
decision.  So  he  was  one  of  Ney's  heroes  !  Well,  Frank, 
when  this  war  is  over,  and  the  bitterness  between  the  two 
nations  has  passed  away,  he  will  have  good  cause  to  feel  proud 
of  having  been  one  of  that  unconquerable  band.  No  troops 
have  ever  gained  greater  glory  by  victory  than  they  have  by 
retreat ;  besides  to  have  won  his  stripes  in  such  company,  and 
to  have  received  the  Legion  of  Honour  from  Ney,  is  as  high  an 
honour  as  any  soldier  could  wish  for.  At  the  same  time,  I 
think  that  he  and  his  friends  have  done  wisely  in  keeping 
silence  as  to  the  part  he  played — it  might  have  led  to  all  sorts 
of  trouble.  Had  it  been  known,  he  might  have  been  claimed 
as  a  prisoner  of  war  ;  and  even  if  this  had  not  been  done,  he 
might  have  been  embroiled  in  quarrels  with  hot-headed  young 


AN   UNEXPECTED    MEETING  325 

Russians ;  and  it  is  scarcely  probable,  Frank,  that  he  is  such 
a  dead  shot  with  the  pistol  as  you  are." 

The  next  morning  Julian  heard  from  Frank  full  details  of 
the  manner  in  which  the  truth  had  been  arrived  at  of  the 
circumstances  of  Mr.  Faulkner's  murder. 

"By  Jove!  Frank,"  he  exclaimed,  when  his  brother 
brought  the  story  to  a  conclusion  ;  "  you  ought  to  have  been 
a  Bow  Street  runner.  I  can't  think  how  it  all  occurred  to 
you.  Thinking  it  over,  as  I  have  done  hundreds  of  times,  it 
never  once  occurred  to  me  that  the  footprints  in  the  snow 
might  prove  that  I  had  set  off  in  pursuit  of  Markham,  and  that 
they  would  have  shown  that  he  was  standing  behind  that  tree 
whence  the  shot  was  fired,  while  I  went  straight  from  the  road 
to  the  place  where  Faulkner  was  lying.  What  a  head  you 
have,  old  fellow  !  " 

"  It  was  simple  enough,  Julian.  I  was  certain  that  you 
had  not  committed  the  murder,  and  it  was  therefore  clear  that 
someone  else  must  have  done  so.  Then  came  the  question, 
first,  how  Faulkner  had  come  to  charge  you  as  he  had  done, 
and,  second,  how  and  why  you  had  disappeared.  The  only 
conceivable  explanation  that  I  could  find  was  that  you  must 
have  run  into  the  wood,  caught  sight  of  the  murderer,  and 
followed  him  up.  Directly  we  found  your  footprints  on  the 
snow  overlapping  his  it  made  that  a  certainty.  We  had  only 
then  to  go  into  the  wood  and  pick  up  the  whole  story  bit  by 
bit.  For  a  time  I  certainly  thought  that  you  had  been  killed 
by  the  friends  of  the  man  that  you  had  followed,  and  you  may 
imagine  what  a  relief  it  was  to  us  when  your  letter  came. 

"  And  now,  old  fellow,  I  suppose  you  will  be  going  home? 
Sir  Robert  has  told  me  that  he  will  be  willing  to  give  me 
leave  at  once,  and  that  he  considers  I  ought  to  have  a  thorough 
rest,  to  get  the  seeds  of  that  horrible  hospital  fever  out  of  my 
blood.  Therefore,  I  am  ready  to  start  with  you  whenever 
you  are  ready  to  go.  He  does  not  know  yet  whether  he  will 


326  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

continue  as  commissioner  here  when  the  campaign  recommences 
in  the  spring ;  but  there  is  little  doubt  that  he  will  do  so,  and 
in  that  case  I  shall  rejoin  as  soon  as  the  weather  breaks  suffi- 
ciently for  operations  to  commence.  I  got  my  lieutenantcy 
three  months  ago  owing  to  the  vacancies  made  in  the  regiment 
during  the  campaign  in  Spain  ;  and  Sir  Robert  has  been  good 
enough  to  speak  so  strongly  of  my  services  here  that  I  have 
every  chance  of  getting  another  step  before  I  return." 

"  I  see  no  reason  why  I  should  not  start  at  the  end  of  the 
week,  Frank.  Of  course,  I  am  extremely  comfortable  here ; 
but  now  that  I  know  I  can  go  back  all  right  1  am  longing  to 
be  home  again.  Indeed  I  should  soon  get  tired  of  having 
nothing  to  do  but  to  drive  about  and  eat  dinners  here  ;  and 
besides,  I  cannot  but  feel  that  I  am  in  a  false  position,  and  am 
very  anxious  to  get  out  of  it." 

Frank  nodded.  "  I  quite  understand  that,  old  fellow,  and 
I  agree  with  you  thoroughly.  A  question  might  be  asked  any 
day  that  you  could  not  reply  to  without  saying  how  you  came 
to  be  here  ;  and  for  the  sake  of  the  count  as  well  as  yourself, 
that  should  be  avoided  if  possible." 

The  count  was  loud  in  his  expressions  of  regret  when  he 
heard  that  Julian  was  about  to  leave  with  his  brother  at  once ; 
but  when  Julian  urged  that  he  was  constantly  in  fear  that  some 
chance  question  might  be  asked,  and  that  the  falseness  of  his 
position  weighed  heavily  upon  him,  the  count  could  not  but 
admit  the  justice  of  the  view  he  took.  Preparations  were  im- 
mediately begun  for  departure.  They  were  to  travel  by  sledge 
through  Finland,  passing  through  Vibourg  to  Abo,  and  there 
to  cross  the  Gulf  of  Bothnia  to  the  Swedish  coast,  a  few  miles 
north  of  Stockholm,  and  to  travel  across  the  country  to  Goth- 
enburg. The  count  placed  one  of  his  travelling  carriages  on 
runners  at  their  disposal  as  far  as  Abo,  and  insisted  on  send- 
ing one  of  his  own  servants  with  them  to  attend  to  their  wants 
on  the  road. 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  327 

Stephanie  was  inconsolable  at  the  approaching  departure  of 
her  friend,  and  even  the  promise  that  he  would  return  and  pay 
them  another  visit  before  very  long,  scarcely  pacified  her.  In 
three  days  all  was  ready.  The  luggage,  packed  in  a  light  wag- 
gon, had  been  sent  off  in  charge  of  one  of  the  count's  servants 
forty-eight  hours  before ;  and  the  travelling  carriage  had  but 
to  take  three  or  four  great  hampers  stored  with  provisions  and 
wines.  The  count  and  countess  had  had  on  the  previous  day 
a  long  talk  with  Frank,  who  at  their  request  called  at  an  hour 
when  Julian  would  be  out  paying  a  long  round  of  farewell 
visits.  The  conversation  was  a  serious  one,  and  had  ended  by 
the  count  saying  : 

"  You  see,  Mr.  Wyatt,  nothing  will  alter  the  determination 
of  the  countess  and  myself  in  this  matter;  and  if  you  had  not 
consented  to  accept  our  commission  and  to  carry  out  our 
wishes,  we  should  have  had  no  course  open  but  to  communi- 
cate with  our  embassy  in  London,  and  to  request  them  to 
appoint  someone  to  act  as  our  agent  in  the  matter.  This 
would  not  have  been  so  satisfactory,  for  the  agent  would  of 
course  have  been  ignorant  of  your  brother's  tastes  and  wishes  ; 
whereas  you  will  be  able  to  learn  from  him  exactly  the  position 
that  would  be  most  agreeable.  All  we  ask  is  that  you  will  not 
go  below  the  minimum  we  have  named,  and  the  more  you 
exceed  it  the  better  we  shall  be  pleased.  You  know  well  how 
we  feel  in  the  matter,  and  that  anything  that  can  be  done  in 
this  way  will  still  fall  very  far  short  of  the  measure  of  gratitude 
we  feel  towards  your  brother." 

"  I  will  carry  out  the  commission  that  you  have  given  me 
to  the  best  of  my  abilities,  Count ;  and  will  endeavour  to  act 
as  if  my  brother  was  an  entire  stranger." 

"Thank  you  greatly,  Mr.  Wyatt.  I  agree  with  you  that 
if  you  dismiss  altogether  from  your  mind  the  fact  that  your 
brother  is  interested  in  the  matter,  and  that  you  regard  your- 
self as  simply  carrying  out  a  business  transaction  as  our  agent, 


328  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

it  will  simplify  matters  greatly.  I  don't  wish  you  to  have  the 
trouble  of  the  actual  details.  I  shall  write  myself  to  our 
ambassador,  who  is  a  personal  friend  of  mine,  and  request  him, 
as  soon  as  he  hears  from  you,  to  instruct  an  English  lawyer  to 
carry  out  all  the  business  part  of  the  arrangement." 

The  journey  across  Finland  was  a  very  pleasant  one.  Both 
were  in  high  spirits.  The  cloud  that  had  hung  over  Julian 
had  been  dispelled,  and  Frank's  constant  anxiety  about  him 
had  been  laid  to  rest.  They  had  gone  safely  through  the 
most  wonderful  campaign  of  modern  times,  and  were  now  on 
their  way  home.  Julian's  supply  of  money  was  untouched 
save  for  the  purchase  of  a  variety  of  presents  for  his  aunt. 
They  travelled  only  by  day.  The  carriage  was  constructed 
with  all  conveniences  for  sleeping  in,  and  when,  on  their  arrival 
at  the  end  of  their  day's  journey,  they  returned  from  a  stroll 
down  the  town  to  an  excellent  dinner  prepared  by  their  ser- 
vant, they  had  but  to  turn  in  for  a  comfortable  night's  rest 
in  the  vehicle.  At  Abo  they  found  their  baggage  awaiting 
them. 

"By  Jove!  Julian,"  Frank  said  laughing,  as  he  looked  at 
the  great  pile  of  trunks  in  the  post-house,  "  one  would  think 
that  you  were  carrying  the  whole  contents  of  a  household. 
Those  modest  tin  cases  comprise  my  share  of  that  pile." 

"It  is  tremendous  !  "  Julian  said  almost  ruefully.  "  I  feel 
quite  ashamed  to  turn  up  with  such  an  amount  of  baggage. 
The  first  thing  we  must  do,  as  soon  as  we  get  back,  is  to 
effect  a  division.  I  am  afraid  that  my  outside  clothes  will  be 
of  no  use  to  you — they  would  require  entire  remaking ;  but 
all  the  other  things  will  fit  you  as  well  as  me.  I  do  believe 
that  there  are  enough  to  last  me  my  life-time;  and  it  will  be 
downright  charity  to  relieve  me  of  some  of  them.  You  may 
imagine  my  stupefaction  when  I  came  back  one  day  to  the 
count's  and  found  my  room  literally  filled  with  clothes." 

"  I  will  help  you  a  bit,"  Frank  laughed.      "  The  campaign 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  329 

has  pretty  well  destroyed  all  my  kit,  and  I  sha'n't  be  too 
proud  to  fill  up  from  your  abundance." 

They  found  that  the  servant  who  had  preceded  them  with 
the  baggage  had  already  made  all  the  arrangements  for  their 
crossing  the  gulf.  The  extreme  cold  had  everywhere  so 
completely  frozen  the  sea  that  there  was  no  difficulty  in 
crossing,  which,  they  learned,  was  not  often  the  case.  Three 
sledges  had  been  engaged  for  their  transport.  The  distance 
was  about  120  miles;  but  it  was  broken  by  the  islands  of 
the  Aland  Archipelago,  and  upon  one  or  other  of  these  they 
could  take  refuge  in  the  event  of  any  sudden  change  of 
weather.  They  were  to  start  at  midnight,  and  would  reach 
Bomarsund,  on  the  main  island  of  Aland,  on  the  following 
evening,  wait  there  for  twenty-four  hours  to  rest  the  animals, 
and  would  reach  the  mainland  the  next  day. 

The  frost  continued  unbroken,  and  they  crossed  the  gulf 
without  difficulty,  travelled  rapidly  across  Sweden,  and  reached 
England  without  adventure  of  any  kind.  They  waited  for  a 
day  in  London.  Frank  carried  despatches  from  Sir  Robert 
Wilson,  and  was  occupied  at  the  War  Office  all  day,  having 
a  very  long  interview  with  the  minister,  to  whom  he  gave  a 
much  more  detailed  account  of  the  campaign  than  had  been 
given  in  the  general's  reports.  The  minister  expressed  much 
satisfaction  at  the  information  he  afforded,  and  said  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  interview  : 

"Sir  Robert  has  spoken  several  times  as  to  your  services, 
and  I  am  happy  to  inform  you  that  your  name  will  appear  in 
the  next  gazette  as  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain.  I  con- 
sider that  the  manner  in  which  you  devoted  yourself  to  the 
acquisition  of  the  Russian  language  was  most  highly  meritori- 
ous, and  I  wish  that  many  young  officers  would  similarly 
acquire  foreign  or  oriental  languages.  I  trust  that  you  will 
thoroughly  recover  your  health,  so  as  to  be  able  to  rejoin 
Sir  Robert  Wilson  by  the  time  that  the  troops  take  the  field 


330  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

again.  The  campaign  is  likely  to  be  a  most  important,  and — . 
we  have  great  grounds  for  hoping — a  final  one." 

Before  leaving  the  building  Frank  found  out  where  Stre- 
linski  was  at  work.  He  was  engaged  in  translating  a  mass  of 
Russian  documents.  He  rose  from  his  seat  with  an  exclama- 
tion of  delight  when  he  saw  Frank,  who,  after  a  short  chat, 
asked  him  to  come  that  evening  to  his  hotel.  He  there 
learned  that  the  Pole  was  getting  on  very  well.  His  knowl- 
edge of  German  as  well  as  of  Russian  had  been  very  valuable 
to  him ;  his  salary  had  already  been  raised,  and  he  was  now 
at  the  head  of  a  small  department,  having  two  of  his  country- 
men and  three  Germans  under  him,  and  his  future  in  the 
office  was  quite  assured. 

"  The  work  is  somewhat  hard,"  he  said,  "  for  when  a  ship 
comes  in  from  Germany  or  Russia  we  are  often  at  work  all 
night,  sometimes  eight-and-forty  hours  at  a  stretch,  but  we 
are  all  paid  overtime.  The  work  is  pleasant  and  interesting, 
and  your  officials  are  good  enough  to  say  that  we  get  through 
a  wonderful  amount  in  the  time,  and  the  minister  has  twice 
expressed  his  approbation  to  me.  Ah,  Mr.  Wyatt,  how  much 
do  I  owe  to  you  and  the  good  general  ?  ' ' 

"  I  owe  fully  as  much  to  you  as  you  owe  to  me,  Strelinski," 
Frank  said.  "Putting  aside  the  interest  there  has  been  in 
witnessing  such  mighty  events,  it  has  been  a  splendid  thing 
for  me  in  my  profession.  I  shall  be  gazetted  captain  this 
week,  while  I  am  pretty  sure  of  a  brevet  majority  at  the  end 
of  the  next  campaign,  and  of  further  employment  in  the  same 
line  afterwards." 

Julian  was  not  present  at  the  interview.  He  had  never 
been  in  London  before,  and  after  spending  the  day  in  strolling 
through  the  streets  and  visiting  the  principal  sights,  had  gone 
to  a  theatre,  leaving  Frank  to  talk  with  the  Pole.  The  latter 
had  not  left  when  Julian  returned.  He  and  Frank  had  found 
such  an  abundance  of  subjects  to  talk  about  that  they  were 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  331 

scarcely  aware  how  the  time  had  passed.  The  latter  proposed 
that  they  should  go  to  one  of  the  fashionable  taverns  to  supper. 
Julian  would  have  excused  himself,  but  Frank  insisted  on  his 
accompanying  him.  As  they  were  sitting  there,  two  gentle- 
men passed  by  their  table.  One  of  them  stared  hard  at  Frank, 
and  then  with  an  angry  exclamation  turned  away.  Then 
Strelinski  said  : 

"  That  is  your  old  antagonist,  unless  I  am  mistaken,  Mr. 
Wyatt.  You  pointed  him  out  to  me  once  when  I  was  in  bar- 
racks with  you,  and  I  thought  I  remembered  his  face ;  that 
empty  sleeve  assures  me  that  it  is  him." 

Frank  nodded. 

"  What  is  that  ?  "  Julian  asked. 

"  Oh,  it  is  nothing,"  his  brother  said  hastily. 

"  No,  no,  Mr.  Wyatt,  it  was  a  grand  thing.  Has  not  your 
brother  told  you  of  it,  Mr.  Julian?" 

"  No,  he  has  told  me  nothing  about  an  antagonist." 

"  You  do  not  know,  then,  that  Mr.  Frank  may  claim  to  be 
the  finest  pistol  shot  in  the  British  army." 

Julian  looked  at  his  brother  in  astonishment.  "I  did  not 
know  that  you  had  ever  fired  a  pistol  in  your  life,  Frank." 

"  I  practised  pretty  hard  while  I  was  at  Canterbury,"  Frank 
answered.  "  I  suppose  that  I  had  a  good  eye  for  it,  and  cer- 
tainly came  to  be  what  you  would  call  a  good  shot,  though  I 
dare  say  there  are  others  just  as  good.  I  got  involved  in  a 
quarrel  with  the  man  who  has  just  passed  me,  who  was  a  cap- 
tain in  the  Lancers,  and  a  notorious  bully  and  duellist.  We 
went  out.  I  hit  him  in  the  hand,  and  he  lost  his  arm  above 
the  elbow,  and  there  was  the  end  of  it." 

"  Perhaps  you  will  be  kind  enough  to  tell  me  a  little  more 
about  it,  Mr.  Strelinski,"  Julian  said,  turning  to  the  Pole,  and 
in  spite  of  a  growl  from  Frank  that  there  was  nothing  to  tell, 
the  Pole  related  the  whole  circumstances  of  the  quarrel,  the 
feeling  that  had  been  excited  by  it,  Frank's  expressed  deter- 


332  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

ruination  not  to  inflict  serious  injury  upon  the  man  but  to  carry 
away  his  trigger-finger  only,  and  so  put  an  end  to  his  duels  in 
the  future,  and  the  manner  in  which  his  intention  was  carried 
out. 

"Well,  I  congratulate  you,  Frank,  very  heartily,"  Julian 
said,  when  Strelinski  had  finished.  "  Why  on  earth  did  you 
not  tell  me  about  this  before?  " 

"Really,  Julian,  there  was  nothing  to  tell  about.  It  was 
a  disagreeable  incident  altogether,  and  I  considered  then,  as  I 
have  considered  since,  that  it  was  hardly  fair  of  me  to  go  out 
with  him  when  I  was  so  certain  of  my  shooting,  and  it  was  a 
hundred  to  one  in  my  favour.  I  should  never  have  done  it  if 
he  had  not  forced  the  quarrel  upon  young  Wilmington  ;  for 
the  young  fellow  must  either  have  gone  out,  which  would  have 
been  throwing  away  his  life,  or  left  the  service." 

"  Unfair,  my  dear  Frank  !  why  the  man  himself  had  always 
relied  upon  his  superior  skill,  and  you  were  able  to  beat  him  at 
his  own  game.  Well,  I  wish  I  could  shoot  as  well.  However, 
as  I  am  not  going  to  do  any  more  soldiering,  I  don't  know 
that  it  would  be  of  much  use  to  me ;  still  I  should  like  to  be 
able  to  do  it." 

The  next  morning  they  started  by  coach  for  Weymouth, 
leaving  Julian's  heavier  luggage  to  follow  by  carrier  waggon. 
Mrs.  Troutbeck's  joy,  when  her  two  nephews  arrived  together, 
for  a  time  completely  overpowered  her,  and  smelling  salts  and 
other  restoratives  had  to  be  brought  into  play  before  she  recov- 
ered. The  event  created  quite  an  excitement  in  Weymouth. 
The  appearance  of  Frank's  name  so  frequently  in  Sir  Robert 
Wilson's  despatches  had  been  a  source  of  pride  to  the  whole 
town,  and  especially  to  his  old  school-fellows,  while  the  clear- 
ing up  of  the  mystery  that  had  so  long  hung  over  Julian's  fate 
was  no  less  interesting.  The  sympathy  with  him  was  so  great 
and  general  that  no  one  was  surprised  or  shocked  that,  under 
the  circumstances,  he  had  been  driven  to  enlist  in  the  French 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  333 

army,  and  had  taken  part  in  the  Russian  campaign.  Indeed, 
the  fact  that  he  had  been  one  of  Ney's  celebrated  division, 
whose  bravery  had  excited  general  admiration,  was  considered 
a  feather  in  his  cap,  especially  when  it  became  known  that  he 
had  been  awarded  the  Cross  of  the  Legion  of  Honour  by  Na- 
poleon himself.  Had  not  the  brothers  received  the  proposal 
most  unfavourably,  a  public  dinner  would  have  been  got  up  to 
celebrate  their  return. 

"  Well,  Julian,  you  will  have  to  settle  what  you  mean  to  do 
with  yourself,"  Frank  said  one  day.  "  You  can  never  settle 
down  here  without  any  occupation  whatever,  after  what  you 
have  gone  through." 

"  No,  I  quite  feel  that,  Frank.  I  have  had  enough  of  sol- 
diering ;  that  one  campaign  is  enough  for  a  life  time.  I  really 
can  hardly  make  up  my  mind  what  to  do.  Aunt  was  speak- 
ing to  me  yesterday  afternoon  when  you  were  out.  The  dear 
old  soul  said  that  it  was  nonsense  for  me  to  wait  for  her  death, 
wasting  my  life  here,  and  that  she  was  anxious  to  hand  me 
over  at  once  half  her  money.  She  said  that  that  would  be 
^10,000,  and  with  the  ^8,000 — my  share  of  father's  money 
— I  could  then  buy  an  estate." 

"  It  would  be  the  best  thing  you  could  do,  Julian,  but,  of 
course,  there  is  no  hurry  about  it.  What  part  of  the  country 
would  you  prefer  to  settle  in  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,  Frank,  I  have  never  thought  much  about  it. 
I  don't  think  I  should  choose  anywhere  near  Weymouth,  and 
I  would  rather  go  to  a  flatter  country,  and  a  better  wooded  one. 
If  I  bought  land,  I  should  like  to  have  land  that  I  could  cul- 
tivate myself,  so  as  to  give  me  an  interest  in  it,  and  I  should 
like,  after  a  time,  to  be  on  the  bench,  which  would  give  one 
a  good  deal  of  occupation.  I  suppose  I  shall  marry  some  day, 
and  so  would  prefer  to  be  within  reach  of  a  town.  I  should 
think,  from  what  you  say,  the  country  round  Canterbury  must 
be  pretty.  There  is  a  garrison  there,  Dover  is  within  reach, 


334  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

and  it  is  a  good  deal  more  handy  for  getting  up  to  town  than 
it  is  from  here.  However,  as  you  say,  there  is  plenty  of  time 
for  me  to  think  about  that. ' ' 

Mrs.  Troutbeck  was,  as  Julian  had  predicted,  astounded  upon 
the  arrival  of  his  baggage.  "  I  never  saw  such  a  thing  !  "  she 
exclaimed,  as  trunk  after  trunk  was  carried  into  the  house. 
"  That  Russian  count  of  yours,  Julian,  must  be  a  little  cracked, 
I  should  think.  Why,  my  dear  boy,  if  you  were  to  get  stout 
what  in  the  world  would  you  do  with  all  these  things?  " 

"That  is  a  contingency  I  have  never  thought  of,  Aunt. 
You  quite  frighten  me.  I  must  go  in  for  a  course  of  severe 
exercise  to  prevent  the  chance  of  such  a  thing  occurring." 

"You  might  take  to  shooting,"  Mrs.  Troutbeck  said  doubt- 
fully ;  "  and  I  am  sure  that  at  present  there  is  not  a  gentle- 
man round  who  would  not  be  glad  to  give  you  a  day's 
shooting. ' ' 

"  I  have  done  enough  shooting,  Aunt,"  Julian  said  gravely. 
"  It  was  the  means  of  my  getting  into  a  bad  scrape  here.  In 
Russia  it  was  often  part  of  my  duty  to  shoot  dying  horses,  to 
say  nothing  of  shooting  men,  and  I  have  no  desire  ever  to  take 
a  gun  in  my  hands  again.  I  have  looked  up  my  old  friend 
Bill,  and  shall  take  to  sailing  again,  but  I  will  promise  you  that 
I  will  keep  clear  of  smugglers." 

Two  days  later  Frank  announced  his  intention  of  going  up 
to  London  for  a  few  days,  as  he  thought  he  had  better  offer  to 
be  of  any  assistance  he  could  at  the  War  Office.  He  was  away 
for  nearly  three  weeks,  and  on  his  return  mentioned  that  he  had 
run  down  to  Canterbury,  and  had  seen  some  of  his  old  friends 
at  the  depot.  A  fortnight  later  he  received  a  bulky  letter 
from  town,  and  in  the  course  of  the  day  asked  his  aunt  if  she 
felt  equal  to  taking  a  journey  with  him. 

"  A  journey,  my  dear !  "  she  repeated  in  surprise.  "  Where 
do  you  want  to  go  to  ?" 

(t  Well,  Aunt,  I  want  to  go  to  London  in  the  first  place;  we 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  335 

will  travel  by  post-chaise,  so  that  everything  will  be  comfort- 
able ;  afterwards  we  may  go  somewhere  else.  I  can't  tell  you 
anything  about  it  now ;  it  is  a  little  secret.  But  I  do  very 
much  want  you  and  Julian  to  go  with  me." 

"  Then,  of  course  we  will,  my  dear,"  the  old  lady  said.  "  I 
should  very  much  like  to  visit  London  again,  and  see  the  thea- 
tres and  shows.  What  do  you  say,  Julian  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  will  go,  Aunt,  though  I  can't  think  what 
Frank  has  got  in  his  head.  Still,  I  am  very  tired  of  Wey- 
mouth,  and  it  will  be  a  change.  I  was  saying  to  Dick  Halli- 
burne  yesterday  that  unless  I  could  hit  on  something  to  do,  I 
should  have  to  ask  them  if  they  would  let  me  go  to  school 
again." 

Six  days  later  they  drove  up  in  a  post-chaise  to  a  fine  man- 
sion some  three  miles  from  Canterbury.  Julian's  astonishment 
at  Frank's  mysterious  proceedings  had  been  growing  ever  since 
they  left  Weymouth. 

"  Who  on  earth  are  we  going  to  see  here?  "  he  asked,  as 
they  approached  the  mansion. 

"  Restrain  your  impatience  for  a  few  minutes  longer,  Julian, 
then  you  shall  know  all  about  it.  This  mansion,  I  may  tell 
you,  belongs  to  a  friend  of  mine.  It  is  the  centre  of  an  estate 
of  some  2,000  acres,  and  its  rent-roll  is  about  ^£3,000  a  year." 

"Very  nice  indeed  !  "  Julian  said.  "  Well,  I  won't  ask  any 
more  questions  till  we  get  there. ' ' 

A  gentleman  appeared  at  the  door  as  the  carriage  drove  up. 
He  shook  hands  warmly  with  Frank,  who  introduced  him  to 
his  companions  as  Mr.  James  Linton,  solicitor  to  the  Russian 
embassy.  The  gentleman  led  the  way  to  a  very  handsome 
drawing-room,  then  he  looked  inquiringly  at  Frank,  who  nod- 
ded. From  a  mahogany  box  on  the  table  Mr.  Linton  pro- 
duced a  large  packet  of  papers. 

"Mr.  Wyatt,"  he  said  to  Julian,  "  it  is  my  pleasant  duty 
to  present  you  with  these  documents.  They  are  the  title-deeds 


336  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

of  this  mansion  and  the  surrounding  property.  In  purchasing 
them  I  have  followed  out  the  instructions  of  Count  Woronski, 
and  have  had  the  benefit  of  the  assistance  of  your  brother  in 
selecting  an  estate  that  would,  he  thought,  from  its  situation, 
be  agreeable  to  you." 

Julian  looked  at  the  speaker  as  if  unable  to  take  in  the 
sense  of  his  words. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,"  he  said  hesitatingly.  "I  don't 
think  I  quite  understand  you." 

"  It  is  as  I  said,  Mr.  Wyatt.  Count  Woronski  wrote  to  me 
expressing  his  desire  to  present  you  with  an  estate  here  as  some 
slight  token,  as  he  expressed  it,  of  the  enormous  obligation 
under  which  you  have  placed  him  and  the  countess,  his  wife. 
I  may  say  that  his  instructions  to  me  would  have  authorized 
the  purchase  of  a  much  larger  estate  than  this,  but  he  begged 
me  to  be  guided  by  the  advice  of  your  brother,  Captain 
Wyatt,  in  the  matter,  and  the  latter  obliged  me  by  taking 
the  responsibility  of  choosing  an  estate  off  my  hands,  and  has 
selected  this.  My  part  in  the  business  has  therefore  been 
confined  to  carrying  out  the  legal  part  in  the  matter  and  com- 
pleting the  purchase." 

"  My  dear  Frank,"  Julian  said,  "  this  is  monstrous." 

"  I  have  only  carried  out  the  wishes  of  the  count,  Julian. 
He  and  the  countess  had  a  long  conversation  with  me,  and  it 
was  with  some  reluctance  that  I  accepted  the  mission  to  select 
an  estate  for  you,  and  only  because  he  said  that  if  I  refused, 
he  should  have  to  request  the  Russian  ambassador  to  ask  one 
of  his  secretaries  to  do  so,  and  that  it  would  be  very  much 
more  satisfactory  to  him  that  the  place  chosen  should  be,  in 
point  of  situation  and  other  respects,  just  what  you  would 
yourself  like. ' ' 

"I  am  overpowered,  Mr.  Linton.  It  has  all  come  upon 
me  so  much  by  surprise  that  I  do  not  know  what  I  ought  to 
say  or  do." 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  337 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  what  you  ought  to  do,"  the 
solicitor  replied.  "  Count  Woronski  is  a  very  wealthy  noble- 
man. You  have  rendered  to  him  and  his  wife  one  of  the 
greatest  services  one  man  can  render  to  another.  The  count 
mentioned  in  his  letter  that  had  you  remained  in  Russia  it 
was  his  intention  to  transfer  one  of  his  estates  to  you,  and 
the  smallest  of  them  is  of  much  greater  value  than  this.  As 
to  your  refusing  the  gift,  it  is,  if  I  may  say  so,  impossible. 
Nothing  could  exceed  the  delicacy  with  which  the  count  has 
arranged  the  business,  and  he  would  naturally  feel  deeply 
hurt  were  you  to  hesitate  to  accept  this  token  of  his  gratitude. 
I  am  sure  you  must  see  that  yourself. ' ' 

"  I  do  indeed  see  it,"  Julian  said,  "and  I  feel  that  it  would 
be  not  only  ungrateful  but  wrong  for  me  to  refuse  this  noble 
gift.  But  you  will  admit  that  it  is  natural  that  I  should  for 
a  time  be  overwhelmed  by  it.  I  am  not  so  ungracious  as  to 
refuse  so  magnificent  a  present,  although  I  feel  that  it  is  alto- 
gether disproportionate,  not  to  the  service  I  was  fortunate 
enough  to  render,  but  to  my  action  in  rendering  it.  Well, 
Mr.  Linton,  I  can  only  thank  you  for  the  part  you  have  taken 
in  the  matter.  Of  course,  I  shall  write  at  once  to  the  count 
and  countess  expressing  my  feelings  as  to  this  magnificent 
gift,  and  will  send  the  letter  to  the  embassy  to  be  forwarded 
at  the  first  possible  opportunity.  And  now  what  is  the  next 
thing  to  be  done,  for  I  feel  almost  incapable  of  forming  any 
plans  at  present  ?  ' ' 

"I  would  suggest,  Mr.  Wyatt,  that  in  the  fust  place  you 
should  drive  round  your  estate.  There  are  hotHcs  and  car- 
riages in  the  stable.  The  estate  had  only  been  advertised  a 
day  or  two  before  your  brother  came  up  to  town,  and  the 
purchase  included  the  furniture,  horses  and  carriages,  and  the 
live  stock  on  the  home  farm.  I  engaged  the  coachman, 
grooms,  and  gardeners  to  remain  until,  at  least,  you  should 
decide  whether  to  take  them  into  your  service.  I  should  sug- 


338  THROUGH    RUSSIAN    SNOWS 

gest  also  that,  after  driving  round  the  place,  you  should  re- 
turn to  Canterbury  for  the  night.  Beyond  an  old  man  and 
his  wife,  who  are  in  charge  of  the  house,  I  have  not  made  any 
arrangements,  thinking  it  better  to  leave  that  to  you  and  Mrs. 
Troutbeck." 

"You  will  have  to  move  here,  you  know,  Aunt,"  Frank 
said.  "  I  gave  orders,  before  we  came  away  from  Wey mouth, 
to  Mary  to  lock  up  the  house,  and  to  come  up  to  town  by  the 
coach  two  days  later,  and  then  to  come  on  to  Canterbury.  I 
have  no  doubt  that  we  shall  find  her  at  the  Fountain  when  we 
get  there.  I  daresay  you  will  be  able  to  hear  of  some  good 
servants  at  the  Hotel." 

"  You  have  taken  away  my  breath  altogether,  Frank,"  Mrs. 
Troutbeck  said.  "However,  I"  am  too  bewildered  to  think 
for  myself,  and  for  the  present  must  do  whatever  you  tell  me." 

Before  Frank  started  three  weeks  later  to  rejoin  Sir  Robert 
Wilson  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  Julian  comfortably 
established  in  his  new  position,  and  settling  down  to  the  life. 
He  himself  went  through  the  tremendous  campaign  that 
brought  about  the  conclusion  of  the  war  and  the  downfall  of 
Napoleon,  and  was  present  at  the  great  battles  of  Lutzen,  Baut- 
zen, Reichenbach,  Dresden,  Culm,  and  Leipsic.  At  the  ter- 
mination of  the  war  he  received  the  rank  of  brevet  major,  and 
the  appointment  of  military  attache  to  the  British  embassy  in 
Russia.  He  remained  there  for  some  years,  and  then  retired 
from  the  army  with  the  rank  of  colonel. 

Mrs.  Troutbeck  had  by  this  time  passed  away,  having  first 
had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  a  mistress  installed  at  Julian's.  The 
latter  was  now  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  one  of  the  most 
popular  landowners  in  the  county.  Mrs.  Troutbeck,  at 
Julian's  earnest  request,  left  the  whole  of  her  property  to 
Frank,  nor  could  the  latter  persuade  his  brother  to  take  any 
share  of  it.  Frank  had  no  inclination  for  a  country  life,  and 
settled  down  near  London,  where,  after  a  time,  he  too  married, 


AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING  339 

He  then  went  in  for  politics,  and  was  returned  for  a  Kentish 
constituency.  Although  he  took  no  very  prominent  part  in 
party  politics  he  became  one  of  the  recognized  authorities  in 
the  house  on  all  matters  connected  with  the  affairs  of  Eastern 
Europe,  and  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  movements  set  on  foot 
for  the  benefit  of  the  British  soldier.  Julian  kept  his  promise 
to  the  count,  and  for  many  years  went  over  occasionally  to 
stay  with  him.  His  wife  accompanied  him  until  the  cares  of 
a  rising  family  detained  her  at  home.  To  the  end  of  their 
lives  neither  Frank  nor  he  ever  regretted  that  they  had  taken 
part  in  the  memorable  campaign  in  Russia. 


THE    END. 


G.   A.    HENTY'S 

POPULAR   STORIES  FOR  BOYS. 

PUBLISHED   BY  CHARLES   SCRIBNER'S   SONS, 
153-157  FIFTH  AVENUE,   NEW   YORK. 


NEW  VOLUMES. 

Through  Russian   SnowsjX  A    Story   of    Napoleon's 

Retreat   from   Moscow.      With   8   full-page    Illustrations   by    VV.    H. 
OvEKEN'D.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

A.  Knight  of  the  White  Cross./A  Tale  of  the  Siege  of 

Rhodes.     With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  RALPH  PEACOCK.     Crown 
Svo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  Tiger   of  Mysore,  r    A   Story   of   the   War  with 

Tippoo  Saib.     With   12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  H.  MARGETSON. 
Crown  Svo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

PREVIOUS  VOLUMES. 

In  the  Heart  of  the  Rockies.  I/A  Story  of  Adventure 

in  Colorado.     By  G.  A.  HENTY.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  G. 
A.  HINDLEY.     Crown  Svo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  One  of  the  most  interesting  and  attractive  stories  lately  written  for  boys.  .  .  .  The 
reader,  young  or  old,  does  not  lose  in  the  reading  the  zest  its  opening  chapters  awaken. 
...  It  is  thrilling  enough  for  the  most  daring  readers."  —  Boston  "Journal. 


Wulf  the  Saxon.  ^A  Story  of  the  Norman  Conquest. 
By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12  Illustrations  by  RALPH  PEACOCK.  Crown 
Svo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"Wulf  the  Saxon  is  second  to  none  of  Mr.  Henty's  historical  tales,  and  we  may 
safely  say  that  a  boy  may  learn  from  it  more  genuine  history  than  he  will  from  many  a 
tedious  tome."  —  London  Spectator. 

When  London  Burned.     A  Story  of  the  Great  Plague 

and  Fire  in    London.     By   G.  A.  HENTY.     Illustrated.     Crown   Svo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  Mr.  Henty  deals  here  with  a  picturesque  period  of  English  history  with  his  usual 
adroitness,  not  obtruding  the  historical  material,  but  using  it  for  scenic  effect.  .  .  .  The 
seafights  are  described  in  animated  style,  and  altogether  the  story  is  interesting  and  moves 
briskly."  —  London  Saturday  Review. 


2  G.  A.  HENTY'S  STORIES  FOR  BOYS. 

St.  Bartholomew's  Eve.     A  Tale  of  the   Huguenot 

Wars.    Crown  8vo.    With  12  full-page  Illustrations  and  a  Map.    $1.50. 
"  Exciting  enough  to  interest  even  the  dullest  of  readers."  —  Boston  Transcript. 

Through  the  Sikh  War.     A  Tale  of  the  Conquest  of 

the  Punjaub.     Crown  8vo.     With  12  full-page  Illustrations  and  a  Map. 
#1.50. 

"  Not  only  interesting,  but  instructive.  It  is  related  with  great  spirit  and  animation." 
—  Boston  Herald. 

A  Jacobite  Exile.     Being  the  adventures  of  a  Young 

Englishman   in   the  service  of  Charles  XII.  of  Sweden.     Crown  8vo. 
With  8  full-page  Illustrations  and  a  Map.     $1.50. 

"Remarkable  for  its  thrilling  adventures  and  its  interesting  historical  pictures."  — 
Herald  and  Presbyter. 

Beric  the  Briton.     A  Story  of  the  Roman   Invasion. 

Crown  8vo.     With  12  full-page  Illustrations.     $1.50. 

"  It  is  a  powerful  and  fascinating  romance  founded  on  the  Roman  invasion  of  Eng- 
land, and  abounds  with  the  prowess  of  valiant  warriors  and  the  triumphs  of  magnanimous 
victors,  with  war  and  war-like  scenes."  —  Boston  Post. 

In   Greek  Waters.  ^  A  Story  of  the  Grecian  War  of 

Independence  (1821-1827).     Crown  8vo.     Illustrated.     $1.50. 

"  It  reproduces  the  spirit  and  describes  many  of  the  events  of  the  Greek  War,  so  that 
no  boy  can  fail  to  remember  considerable  about  it  which  is  worth  knowing.  Moreover,  it 
is  a  stirring  narrative,  wholesome  and  stimulating."  —  Congregationalist. 

Condemned  as  a  Nihilist.     A  Story  of   Escape  from 

Siberia.     Crown  8vo.     Illustrated.     $1.50. 

"Godfrey  Bullen,  the  young  hero,  suspected  of  Nihilism,  is  sent  with  convicts  to> 
Siberia.  His  final  escape  from  prison  life,  after  many  exciting  adventures,  affords  mate- 
rial for  a  narrative  absorbing  and  thrilling.  The  scenes  of  Siberian  prison  life  give  the- 
book  a  peculiar  value."  —  Christian  Advocate. 


Redskin  and  Cowboy.  (^A  Tale  of  the  Western  Plains.. 

Crown  8vo.     Illustrated.     $1.50. 

"  This  book  is  said  to  be  founded  on  the  experiences  of  a  young  English  friend  of  the 
author,  and  though  it  is  full  of  hair-breadth  escapes,  none  of  the  incidents  are  improbable. 
It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  lad's  adventures  are  well  told."  —  San  Francisco  Chronicle. 

The  Dash  for  Khartoum.  /A  Tale  of  the  Nile  Expe- 

dition.    Crown  8vo.     Illustrated.     $1.50. 

"  The  author  has  provided  a  stirring  book  for  young  readers,  and  the  episodes  of 
battle,  capture,  rescue,  deeds  of  daring,  and  other  exciting  features  in  which  boys  delight, 
are  in  great  abundance."  —  Boston  Saturday  Evening  Gazette. 

Held  Fast  for  England.  j/A  Tale  of  the  Siege  of  Gib- 

raltar.    Crown  8vo.     Illustrated.     $1.50. 

"  It  is  an  historical  novel,  the  siege  of  Gibraltar  by  the  combined  forces  of  France 
and  Spain,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  being  the  foundation  on  which 
Mr.  Henty's  clever  fiction  rests.  It  is  a  story  of  pluck  and  adventure  on  sea  and  land." 
—  Newark  Advertiser, 


G.   A.    HENTY' S  STORIES  FOR  BOYS.  3 

By  England's  Aid :  or,  The  Freeing  of  the  Nether- 
lands (1585-1604).  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  10  full-page  Illustrations 
by  ALFRED  PEARSE,  and  4  Maps.  Crown  8vo,  beautifully  bound,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

Mr.  Henty  here  gives  us  the  story  of  two  English  lads,  who  go  to  Holland  in  the 
service  of  Sir  Francis  Vere.  After  many  adventures  by  sea  and  land,  one  of  the  lads 
finds  himself  on  board  a  Spanish  ship  at  the  time  of  the  defeat  of  the  Armada,  and 
escapes  from  Spain  only  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Corsairs.  He  is  successful,  how- 
ever, in  getting  back  to  Spain  under  the  protection  of  a  wealthy  Spanish  merchant,  and 
regains  his  native  country  after  the  capture  of  Cadiz,  which  finally  broke  the  power  of 
Spain  in  Europe. 

With  Lee  in  Virginia// A    Story   of  the   American 

Civil  War.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  10  full-page  Illustrations  by 
GORDON  BROWNE,  and  6  Maps.  Crown  8vo,  beautifully  bound,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

The  story  of  a  young  Virginian  planter,  who,  after  bravely  proving  his  sympathy 
with  the  slaves  of  brutal  masters,  serves  under  Lee  and  Jackson  through  the  most 
exciting  events  of  the  struggle.  He  has  many  escapes,  but  his  courage  and  readiness 
and  the  devotion  of  a  black  servant  and  of  a  runaway  slave  whom  he  had  assisted,  bring 
him  safely  through  all  difficulties. 

By  Right   of  Conquest :    or,  with  Cortez  in  Mexico. 

By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  10  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  S.  STAGEY, 
and  2  Maps.  Crown  8vo,  beautifully  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  adventures  of  an  English  youth,  Roger  Hawkshaw,  the  sole  survivor  of  the  good 
ship  Swan,  which  had  sailed  from  a  Devon  port  to  challenge  the  mercantile  supremacy 
of  the  Spaniards  in  the  New  World.  He  is  beset  by  many  perils  amongst  the  natives, 
who  are  disposed  at  one  time  to  worship  and  at  another  to  sacrifice  him,  but  is  saved  by 
his  own  judgement  and  strength,  and  by  the  devotion  of  an  Aztec  princess. 

Bonnie  Prince   Charlie.     A    Tale   of    Fontenoy    and 

Culloclen.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON 
BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  Ronald,  the  hero,  is  very  like  the  hero  of  '  Quentin  Durward.'  The  lad's  journey 
across  France  with  his  faithful  attendant  Malcolm,  and  his  hairbreadth  escapes  from  the 
machinations  of  his  father's  enemies,  make  up  as  good  a  narrative  of  the  kind  as  we  have 
ever  read."  —  Spectator. 

By  Pike  and  Dyke.     A  Tale   of    the   Rise   of    the 

Dutch  Republic.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  10  full-page  Illustrations 
by  MAYNARD  BROWN,  and  4  Maps.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

A  story  covering  the  period  when  the  Netherlands  revolted  against  the  attempts  of 
the  Spaniards  to  force  upon  them  the  Catholic  religion.  Mr.  Henty  has  added  a  special 
attractiveness  for  boys  in  tracing  through  the  historic  conflict  the  adventures  of  an 
English  boy  in  the  household  of  the  ablest  man  of  his  age  —  William  the  Silent. 

Captain  Bayley's  Heirl/  A  Tale  of  the  Gold  Fields 

of  California.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by 
H.  M.  PAGET.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

A  frank,  manly  lad  and  his  cousin,  who  is  of  the  plausible  scheming  type,  are  rivals 
in  the  heirship  of  a  considerable  property.  The  former  falls  into  a  trap  laid  by  the  latter, 
and  while  under  a  false  accusation  of  theft  foolishly  leaves  England  for  America.  He 
goes  to  the  Californian  gold  diggings,  and  acquires  a  small  fortune,  and  is  at  length 
proved  innocent  of  the  charge  which  drove  him  from  home. 


4  G.  A.  HENTVS  S TOMES  fOK  £OYS. 

The  Lion  «f  St.  Mark.      A  Tale   of   Venice   in   the 

Fourteenth  Centur,.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  10  full-page  Illustrations 
by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges, 
#1.50. 

"Everybody  should  read  '  The  Lion  of  St.  Mark.'  Mr.  Henty  has  never  produced 
any  story  more  delightful,  more  wholesome,  or  more  vivacious.  From  first  to  last  it 
will  be  read  with  keen  enjjyment." —  Saturday  Review. 

The  Lion  of  the  North.t/A  Tale  of  Gustavus  Adolphus 

and  the  Wars  of  Religion.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12  full-page 
Illustrations  by  JOHN  SCHO'NBERG.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"As  we  might  expect  from  Mr.  Henty  the  tale  is  a  clever  and  instructive  piece  of 
history,  and  as  boys  may  be  trusted  to  read  it  conscientiously,  they  can  hardly  fail  to  be 
profited  as  well  as  pleased." —  The  Times. 

For  the  Temple.      A  Tale  of  the  Fall  of  Jerusalem. 

By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  10  full-page  Illustrations  by  S.  J.  SOLOMON, 
and  a  colored  Map.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges, 
$1.50. 

"  Mr.  Henty's  graphic  prose  pictures  of  the  hopeless  Jewish  resistance  to  Roman 
sway  add  another  leaf  to  his  record  of  the  famous  wars  of  the  world." — Graphic. 

With   Clive    in    India:    or,    The    Beginnings   of    an 

Empire.    By  G.  A.  HENTY.    With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON 

BROWNE,  in  black  and  tint.     Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine 

edges,  $1.50. 

"  He  has  taken  a  period  of  Indian  History  of  the  most  vital  importance,  and  he  has 
embroidered  on  the  historical  facts  a  story  which  of  itself  is  deeply  interesting.  Young 
people  assuredly  will  be  delighted  with  the  volume."  —  Scotsman. 

Through  the  Fray.      A  Story  of  the  Luddite  Riots. 

By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  H.  M.  PAGET,  in 
black  and  tint.  Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  story  is  laid  in  Yorkshire  at  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  when  the 
high  price  of  food  induced  by  the  war  and  the  introduction  of  machinery  drove  the 
working-classes  to  desperation,  and  caused  them  to  band  themselves  in  that  wide-spread 
organization  known  as  the  Luddite  Society. 

True  to  the  Old  Flag.     A  Tale  of  the  American  War 

of  Independence.     By  G.  A.  HENTY.     With  12  full-page  Illustrations 

by  GORDON  BROWNE.     Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges, 

#1.50. 

"  It  does  justice  to  the  pluck  and  determination  of  the  British  soldiers  during  the 
unfortunate  struggle  against  American  emancipation.  The  son  of  an  American  loyalist, 
who  remains  true  to  our  flag,  falls  among  the  hostile  redskins  in  that  very  Huron 
country  which  has  been  endeared  to  us  by  the  exploits  of  Hawk-eye  and  Chingachgook." 
—  The  Times. 


G.  A    HENTY*  S  STORIES  FOR  BOYS.  5 

The  Young  Carthaginian.     A  Story  of  the  Times  of 

Hannibal.     By  G.  A.  HENTY.     With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  C  J 
STANILAND,  R.I.     Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50 

Boys  reading  the  history  of  the  Punic  Wars  have  seldom  a  keen  appreciation  of  the 
merits  of  the  contest.  To  let  them  know  more  about  this  momentous  struggle,  Mr- 
Henty  has  written  this  story,  which  not  only  gives  in  graphic  style  a  brilliant  description 
of  a  most  interesting  period  of  history,  but  is  a  tale  of  exciting  adventure  sure  to  interest 
the  reader. 

With  Wolfe  in  Canada  r  or,  The  Winning  of  a  Con- 
tinent. By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON 
BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  It  is  not  only  a  lesson  in  history  as  instructively  as  it  is  graphically  told,  but  also  a 
deeply  interesting  and  often  thrilling  tale  of  adventure  and  peril  by  flood  and  field."  — 
Illustrated  London  News. 

In  Freedom's  Cause.     A  Story  of  Wallace  and  Bruce. 

By  G.  A.  HENTY.    With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE, 
in  black  and  tint.     Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  Mr.  Henty  has  broken  new  ground  as  an  historical  novelist.  His  tale  is  full  of 
stirring  action,  and  will  commend  itself  to  boys."  —  Atheneeunt. 

Under  Drake's  Flag.     A  Tale  of  the  Spanish  Main. 

By  G.  A.  HKNTY.     With  8  full-page  Pictures  by  GORDON  BROWNE,  in 
black  and  tint.     Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

A  story  of  the  days  when  England  and  Spain  struggled  for  the  supremacy  of  the  sea. 
The  heroes  sail  as  lads  with  Drake  in  the  expedition  in  which  the  Pacific  Ocean  was  first 
seen  by  an  Englishman  from  a  tree-top  on  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  and  in  his  great 
voyage  of  circumnavigation. 

One  of  the  28th.     A  Tale  of  Waterloo.      By  G.  A. 

HENTY.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.   H.  OVEREND,  and  2 
Maps.     Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  '  One  of  the  28th '  contains  one  of  the  best  descriptions  of  the  various  battles  which 
raged  round  Waterloo,  which  it  has  ever  been  our  fate  to  read."  —  Daily  Telegraph. 

The  Cat  of  Bubastes.      A  Story  of  Ancient  Egypt. 

By  G.  A.  HENTY.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  J.  R.  WEGUELIN. 
Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  §1.50. 

"  The  story,  from  the  critical  moment  of  the  killing  of  the  sacred  cat  to  the  perilous 
exodus  into  Asia  with  which  it  closes,  is  very  skilfully  constructed  and  full  of  exciting 
adventures.  It  is  admirably  illustrated."  —  Saturday  Review. 

In  the  Reign  of  Terro*^  The  Adventures  of  a  West- 
minster Boy.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by 
J.  SCHONBERG.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  The  interest  of  this  story  of  the  '  Reign  of  Terror '  lies  in  the  way  in  which  the  diffi- 
culties and  perils  Harry  has  to  encounter  bring  out  the  heroic  and  steadfast  qualities  of  a 
brave  nature.  Again  and  again  the  la^t  extremity  seems  to  have  been  reached,  but  his  un- 
failing courage  triumphs  over  all.  It  is  an  admirable  boy's  book."  —  Birmingham  Post 


6  G.  A.  HENTY'S  STORIES  FOR  BOYS. 

St.   George    for    England.      A   Tale   of   Cressy  and 

Poitiers.     By  G.  A.  HENTY.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON 
BROWNE,  in  black  and  tint.     Crown  Svo,  handsomely  bound,  $1.50. 

"  Mr.  Henty  has  developed  for  himself  a  type  of  historical  novel  for  boys  which  bids- 
fair  to  supplement  on  thtir  behalf,  the  historical  labors  of  Sir  Walter  Scott  in  the  land 
of  fiction."  —  Standard. 

Maori  and  Settler.    A  Story  of  the  New  Zealand  War. 

By  G.  A.  HENTY.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  ALFRED  PEARSE. 
Crown  Svo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  Renshaws  emigrate  to  New  Zealand  during  the  period  of  the  war  with  the 
natives.  During  the  eventful  voyage  out,  and  in  the  subsequent  adventures  among  the 
Maoris,  there  are  many  breathless  moments  in  which  the  odds  seem  hopelessly  against 
the  party,  but  they  succeed  in  establishing  themselves  happily  in  one  of  the  pleasantest 
of  the  New  Zealand  valleys. 

A  Final  Reckoning.  A  Tale  of  Bush  Life  in  Aus- 
tralia. By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  B. 
WOLLEN.  Crown  Svo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  a  young  English  lad,  after  rather  a  stormy  boyhood,  emigrates  to  Australia, 
and  gets  employment  as  an  officer  in  the  mounted  police.  A  few  years  of  active  work  on 
the  frontier,  where  he  has  many  a  brush  with  both  natives  and  bush-rangers,  gain  him 
promotion  to  a  captaincy,  and  he  eventually  settles  down  to  the  peaceful  life  of  a 
squatter. 

The  Bravest  of  the  Brave :  or,  With  Peterborough  in 

Spain.     By  G.   A.   HENTY.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  H.  M. 
PAGET.     Crown  Svo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

There  are  few  great  leaders  whose  lives  have  so  completely  fallen  into  oblivion  as 
that  of  the  Earl  of  Peterborough.  This  is  largely  due  to  the  fact  that  it  was  over- 
shadowed by  the  glory  of  Marlborough.  His  career  as  General  extended  over  little  more 
than  a  year,  and  yet,  in  that  time,  he  showed  a  genius  for  warfare  which  has  never  been 
surpassed. 

For  Name  and  Fame  :  or,  Through  Afghan  Passes.    By 

G.  A.  HENTY.    With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE. 
Crown  Svo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  Here  we  have  not  only  a  rousing  story,  replete  with  all  the  varied  forms  of  excite- 
ment of  a  campaign,  but  an  instructive  history  of  a  recent  war,  and,  what  is  still  more 
useful,  an  account  of  a  territory  and  its  inhabitants  which  must  for  a  long  time  possess  a 
supreme  interest  for  Englishmen,  as  being  the  key  to  our  Indian  Empire." — Glasgow 
Herald. 

Orange  and  Green :  A  Tale  of  the  Boyne  and  Limerick. 

By  G.  A.  HENTY.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE. 
Crown  Svo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  An  extremely  spirited  story,  based  on  the  struggle  in  Ireland,  rendered  memorable 
by  the  defence  of  'Derry  and  the  siege  of  Limerick."  —  Saturday  Review. 


G.  A.  HENTY' S  STORIES  FOR  BOYS. 


The  Dragon  and  the  Raven:  or,  The  Days  of 

Alfred.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  C.  ]. 
STANILAND,  R.I.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"Treated  in  a  manner  most  attractive  to  the  boyish  reader."  —  Athenceum, 

Facing  Death :    or,  The  Hero  of  the  Vaughan  Pit.     A 

Tale  of  the  Coal  Mines.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  8  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine 
edges,  £1.50. 

"  The  tale  is  well  written  and  well  illustrated,  and  there  is  much  reality  in  the 
characters."  —  Aihenceum. 

By  Sheer  Pluck :    A  Tale  of  the  Ashanti  War.     By  G. 

A.  HENTY.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown 
8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  author  has  woven,  in  a  tale  of  thrilling  interest,  all  the  details  of  the  Ashanti 
campaign,  of  which  he  was  hinr.self  a  witness.  His  hero,  after  many  exciting  adventures 
in  the  interior,  finds  himself  at  Coomassie  just  before  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  is  detained 
a  prisoner  by  the  king,  is  sent  down  with  the  array  which  invaded  the  British  Protecto- 
rate, escapes,  and  accompanies  the  English  expedition  on  their  march  to  Coomassie. 

A  Chapter  of  Adventures :  or,  Through  the  Bombard- 
ment of  Alexandria.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  6  full-page  Illustrations 
by  W.  H.  OVEREND.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  $1.25. 

A  coast  fishing  lad,  by  an  act  of  heroism,  secures  the  interest  of  a  ship-owner,  who 
places  him  as  an  apprentice  on  board  one  of  his  ships.  In  company  with  two  of  his 
fellow-apprentices  he  is  left  behind,  at  Alexandria,  in  the  hands  of  the  revolted  Egyptian 
troops,  and  is  present  through  the  bombardment  and  the  scenes  of  riot  and  bloodshed 
which  accompanied  it.  They  ultimately  effect  their  escape,  and  in  the  subsequent  terri- 
ble voyage  their  ship  is  wrecked,  and  only  the  hero  and  a  friend  are  saved. 

Sturdy  and  Strong:  or,  How  George  Andrews  made 

His  Way.     By  G.  A.  HENTY.     With  4  full-page  Illustrations.     Crown 

8vo,  handsomely  bound,  $1.00. 

"  The  history  of  a  hero  of  everyday  life,  whose  love  of  truth,  clothing  of  modesty,  and 
innate  pluck,  carry  him,  naturally,  from  poverty  to  affluence.  George  Andrews  is  an 
example  of  character  with  nothing  to  Cavil  at,  and  stands  as  a  good  instance  of  chivalry 
in  domestic  life."  —  The  Empire. 

Tales  of   Daring  and  Danger.     By  G.   A.   HENTY. 

With  2  full-page  Illustrations.    Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  75  cents. 
"  '  White-faced  Dick '  is  a  sketch  worthy  of  Bret  Harte  at  his  best.    Just  the  sort  of 
tale  to  read  aloud  by  the  fireside  on  a  winter's  night."  —  Practical  Teacher. 

Yarns   on   the  Beach.     By  G.   A.   HENTY.     With  2 

full-page  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  75  cents. 
"  This  little  book  should  find  special  favor  among  boys.     The  yarns  are  spun  by  old 
sailors,  and  are  admirably  calculated  to  foster  a  manly  spirit."—  E^fto. 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 


UNIFORM    WITH    THE    HENTY   BOOKS. 
By  GORDON  STABLES. 

Under  the  Bonnie  Blue  Flag.     A  Story  of  the  War  for 

the  Union.     Illustrated.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

A  spirited  story,  embracing  the  scenes  of  the  American  Civil  War,  which  the  author 
depicts  with  much  skill  and  with  unflagging  interest  for  the  reader. 

To  Greenland  and  the  Pole.     A  Story  of  Adventures 

in  the  Arctic  Regions.     Crown  8vo,  with  numerous  full-page  Illustra- 
tions, $1.50. 

An  attractive  story  of  adventure  in  the  northern  seas,  full  of  striking  incidents  and 
vivid  descriptions.  Mr.  Stables  has  made  the  most  of  the  opportunities  the  subject 
affords,  combining  much  valuable  information  with  a  vigorous  and  interesting  narrative. 

Westward  with  Columbus.     With  8  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  ALFRED  PEARSE.    Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"The  whole  story  of  Columbus'  career  is  embraced  within  the  limits  of  the  book, 
but  the  main  interest,  of  course,  is  focused  on  the  westward  voyage  and  the  romantic 
incidents  of  the  discovery.  The  book  is  admirably  written  and  is  well  illustrated."  — 
Boston  Beacon. 

'Twixt  School  and  College.     A  Tale  of  Self-Reliance. 

With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  PARKINSON.     Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

A  story,  the  attractiveness  of  which  lies  in  the  incidents  of  home  life  which  fill  up  the 
interval  between  the  school  life  and  college  life  of  Fred  Hallam. 

By  ROBERT  LEIGHTON. 

Olaf  the  Glorious.     A  Story  of  Olaf  Triggvison,  King 

of  Norway,  A. D.  995-1000.     Crown  8vo,  with  numerous  full-page  Illus- 
trations, $1.50. 

In  Mr.  Leighton's  well-known,  fascinating  style  the  interesting  story  of  Olaf  is  here 
narrated,  from  his  romantic  youth,  through  his  career  as  a  viking,  his  victorious  battle 
with  the  English,  his  conversion  to  Christianity,  and  his  reign  as  a  Christian  king.  It  is 
an  absorbing  story  never  flagging  in  interest. 

The  Wreck  of  the  Golden  Fleece.     The  Story  of  a 

North   Sea   Fisher-boy.      With   8   full-page    Illustrations    by   FRANK 
BRANGWYN.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  The  story  is  one  of  desperate  mischances,  breezy  adventure,  with  a  wholesome 
flavor  of  the  sea  to  sweeten  it.  Mr.  Leighton  as  a  writer  for  boys  needs  no  praise,  as  his 
books  place  him  in  the  front  rank."  —  New  York  Observer. 

The    Pilots    of    Pomona.      A   Story   of    the   Orkney 

Islands.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  JOHN  LEIGHTON.     Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50.     (Copyrighted.) 

"  A  story  which  is  quite  as  good  in  its  way  as  '  Treasure  Island,'  and  is  full  of  adven- 
ture of  a  stirring,  yet  most  natural  kind." —  Glasgow  Times. 

The  Thirsty  Sword.     A  Story  of  the  Norse  Invasion  of 

Scotland    (1262-65).      With   8   full-page    Illustrations.      Crown   8vo, 

#1.50.     (Copyrighted.) 

In  this  story  of  "The  Thirsty  Sword"  and  of  the  vengeance  which  it  accomplishes, 
there  is  much  found  of  the  simple  directness  and  tragic  strength  of  the  old  Scandinavian 
Sagas.  The  period  of  the  story  is  the  heroic  one  which  appeals  so  strongly  to  the  youth- 
ful imagination,  and  the  historical  picture  of  the  times  is  vivid  and  truthful. 


POPULAR  BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE. 
POPULAR     BOOKS    FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE. 

Including  new  works  by  well-known  authors. 
IMPORTED  HY  CHARLES   SCRIBXER'S   SONS. 


THE  "FENN"   BOOKS. 
Brownsmith's   Boy.      By  GEORGE    MANVILLE   FENN. 

With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE,  in  black  and  tint 
Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.00. 

"  '  Brownsmith's  Boy  must  rank  among  the  few  undeniably  good  boys'  books.  Hi 
will  be  a  very  dull  boy  indeed  who  lays  it  down  without  wishing  that  it  had  gone  on  foi 
at  least  100  pages  more."  —  North  British  Mail. 

Quicksilver :  or,  A  Boy  With  No  Skid  to  His  Wheel. 

By  GEORGE   MANVILLE  FrNN.      With    10  full-page   Illustrations  by 
FRANK  DADD.     Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  Mr.  Fenn  possesses  the  true  secret  of  producing  real  and  serviceable  boys'  books. 
Every  word  he  writes  is  informed  with  full  knowledge  and,  even  more  important,  quick 
sympathy  with  all  the  phases  of  youthful  life.  In  '  Quicksilver'  he  displays  these  quali- 
ties in  a  high  degree." —  Dundee  Advertiser. 

Devon   Boys.      A   Tale   of    the    North    Shore.      By 

GEORGE  MANVILLE  FENN.     With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON 
BROWNE.     Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  An  admirable  story,  as  remarkable  for  the  individuality  of  its  young  heroes  as  for 
the  excellent  descriptions  of  coast  scenery  and  life  in  North  Devon.  It  is  one  of  the 
best  books  w^  have  seen  this  season."  —  Athenatim. 

The  Golden  Magnet  A  Tale  of  the  Land  of  the  Incas. 
By  G.  MANVILLE  FENN.  With  12  full-page  Pictures  by  GORDON 
BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  tale  of  a  romantic  lad,  who  leaves  home  to  seek  his  fortune  in  South  America  by 
endeavoring  to  discover  some  of  that  treasure  which  legends  declare  was  ages  ago  hidden 
by  the  Peruvian  rulers  and  priests,  to  preserv-  it  from  the  Spanish  invaders. 

In  the  King's  Name .  or,  The  Cruise  of  the  Kestrel. 

By  G.  MANVILLE  FENN.    Illustrated  by  12  full-page  Pictures  by  GORDON 
BROWNE.     Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olirine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  In  the  King's  Name  "  is  a  spirited  story  of  the  Jacobite  times,  concerning  the  adven 
tures  of  a  young  naval  officer  in  the  preventive  service  off  the  coast  of  Sussex. 

Menhardoc.  A  Story  of  Cornish  Nets  and  Mines. 
By  G.  MANVILLE  FENN.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  C.  J.  STANI- 
LAND,  R.I.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  scene  of  this  story  is  laid  among  the  granite  piles  and  tors  of  Cornwall.  Adven 
tures  are  pretty  plentiful,  but  the  story  has  for  its  strong  base  the  development  of  charac- 
ter of  the  three  boys. 


10  POPULAR  BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

THE   "FENN"    BOOKS.  —  Continued. 
Bunyip  Land.     The  Story  of  a  Wild  Journey  in  New 

Guinea.  By  G.  MANVILLE  FENN.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by 
GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  Mr.  Fenn  deserves  the  thanks  of  everybody  for  '  Bunyip  Land,'  and  we  venture  to 
promise  that  a  quiet  week  may  be  reckoned  on  whilst  the  youngsters  have  such  fascinat- 
ing literature  provided  for  them."  —  Spectator. 

Patience  Wins:  or,  War  in  the  Works.  By  G.  MAN- 
VILLE FENN.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE. 
Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.00. 

"An  excellent  story,  the  interest  being  sustained  from  first  to  last.  This  is,  both  in 
its  intention  and  the  way  the  story  is  told,  one  of  the  best  books  of  its  kind  which  has 
come  before  us  this  year."  —  Saturday  Re-view. 

Nat    the   Naturalist.      A   Boy's   Adventures   in   the 

Eastern  Seas.  By  G.  MANVILLE  FENN.  Illustrated  by  8  full-page 
Pictures  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

"  Mr.  Fenn  has  here  hit  upon  a  capital  idea.  This  is  among  the  best  of  the  boys' 
books  of  the  season."  —  Times. 

"  We  can  conceive  of  no  more  attractive  present  for  a  young  naturalist."  —  Land  and 
Water. 

Mother  Carey's  Chicken.  Her  Voyage  to  the  Un- 
known Isle.  By  G.  MANVILLE  FENN.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations. 
Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  j$i.oo. 

"Jules  Verne  himself  never  constructed  a  more  marvellous  tale.  It  contains  the 
strongly  marked  features  that  are  always  conspicuous  in  Mr.  Fenn's  stories  —  a  racy 
humor,  the  manly  vigor  of  his  sentiment,  and  wholesome  moral  lessons.  For  anything 
to  match  his  realistic  touch  we  must  go  to  Daniel  Defoe."  —  Christian  Leader. 

Yussuf  the  Guide.      Being  the  Strange  Story  of  the 

Travels  in  Asia  Minor  of  Burne  the  Lawyer,  Preston  the  Professor, 
and  Lawrence  the  Sick.  By  G.  MANVILLE  FENN.  With  8  full-page 
Illustrations  by  JOHN  SCHONBERG.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  $1.50. 

"  This  story  i-  t  Id  with  such  real  freshness  and  vigor  that  the  reader  feels  he  is 
actually  one  of  the  party,  sharing  in  the  fun  and  facing  the  dangers  with  them."  —  Pall 
Mall  Gazette. 

Dick  o'  the   Fens.     A  Romance  of  the   Great  East 

Swamp.  By  G.  MANVILLE  FENN.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by 
FRANK  DADD.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1 .50. 

"  We  have  not  of  late  come  across  a  historical  fiction  which  deserves  to  be  so  heartily 
and  unreservedly  praised  a*  regards  plot,  incidents,  and  spirit  as  '  Dick  o'  the  Fens."  It 
is  its  author's  masterpiece  as  yet."  —  Spectator. 


POPULAR  BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE.  11 


THE   "  COLLING  WOOD  "  BOOKS. 

The  Log  of  the  "  Flying  Fish."     A  Story  of  Aerial 

and  Submarine  Peril  and  Adventure.  By  HARRY  COLLINGWOOD. 
With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo, 
handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 


school-boy  friends  to  possess  themselves  of  her  log."  —  Athena 


The   Missing   Merchantman.      By   HARRY    COLLINO 

WOOD.  With  8  full-page  Pictures  by  \V.  H.  OVEREND.  Crown  8vo, 
handsomely  bound,  olivine  edges,  $1.00. 

"  Mr.  Collingwood  is  facile  princeps  as  a  teller  of  sea  stories  for  boys,  and  the 
present  L  ne  of  the  best  productions  of  his  pen."  —  Standard. 

The  Rover's  Secret:    A  Tale  of  the  Pirate  Cays  and 

Lagoons  of  Cuba.  By  HARRY  COLLINGWOOD.  With  8  full-page  Illus- 
trations by  W.  C.  SYMONS.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  olivine 
edges,  $1.00. 

"  A  book  that  will  rejoice  the  hearts  of  most  lads.  We  doubt  whether,  since  the  days 
of  Captain  Marryat,  there  has  arisen  a  writer  who  combined  fertility  of  invention  in 
stirring  episodes,  with  practical  knowledge  of  seafaring  life,  in  the  degree  to  which 
Mr.  Collingwood  attains  in  this  volume."  —  Scottish  Leader. 

The  Pirate  Island:   A  Story  of  the  South  Pacific.     By 

HARRY  COLLINGWOOD.  Illustrated  by  8  full  page  Pictures  by  C.  J. 
STANILAND  and  J.  R.  WELLS,  in  black  and  tint.  Crown  8vo,  hand- 
somely bound,  $1.50. 

"  A  capital  story  of  the  sea  ;  indeed,  in  our  opinion,  the  author  is  superior,  in  some 
respects,  as  a  marine  novelist,  to  the  better  known  M  .  Clarke  Russell."  —  The  Times. 

The  Congo  Rovers  :  A  Tale  of  the  Slave  Squadron.  By 

HARRY  COLLINGWOOD.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  J.  SCHON- 
BERG,  in  black  and  tint.  Crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound,  $1.50. 

"  Mr.  Collingwood  carries  us  off  for  another  cruise  at  sea,  in  '  The  Congo  Rovers,1 
and  boys  will  need  no  pressing  to  join  the  daring  crew,  wl.ich  seeks  adventures  and 
meets  with  any  number  of  them."  —  The  Times. 


12  POPULAR  BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BOOKS   FOR  BOYS. 

$1.50  Series. 
A  Champion  of  the  Faith.     A  Tale  of  Prince  Hal  and 

the    Lollards.     By  J.    M.   CALLWELL.     With  6  page  Illustrations  by 
HERBERT  J.  DRAPER.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

"  A  capital  specimen  of  a  historical  tale,  and  a  well-told  chapter  in  English  life  and 
manners  in  the  days  of  Henry  of  Bolingbroke."  —  The  Spectator. 

Sou'wester  and  Sword.     By  HUGH  ST.  LEGER.     With 

6  page  Illustrations  by  HAL  HURST.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

"  As  racy  a  tale  of  life  at  sea  and  war  adventure  as  we  have  met  with  for  some  time. 
It  is  from  first  to  last  a  plain-sailing,  straightforward  narrative,  alive  with  incident  and 
character,  and  stamped  with  a  veracity  that  suggests  actual  experience  oy  the  author  of 
the  things  he  describes.  .  .  .  Altogether  it  seems  the  sort  of  book  that  boys  will  revel 
in."  —  Atken&um. 

With  the  Sea  Kings.     A  Story  of  the  Days  of  Lord 

Nelson.     By  F.    H.    WINDER.     With  6  page  Illustrations  by  W.   S. 
STAGEY.     Crown  8 vo,  $1.50. 

"  Just  the  book  to  put  into  a  boy's  hands.  Every  chapter  contains  boardings,  cut- 
tings out,  fighting  pirates,  escapes  of  thrilling  audacity,  and  captures  by  corsairs,  sufficient 
to  turn  the  quietest  boy's  head.  The  story  culminates  in  a  vigorous  account  of  the  battle 
of  Trafalgar,  as  seen  from  the  Victory.  Happy  boys  !  " —  The  Academy. 

Grettir  the  Outlaw.  A  Story  of  Iceland.  By  S.  BAR- 
ING-GOULD. With  10  full-page  Illustrations  by  M.  ZENO  DIEMER,  and 
a  Colored  Map.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  Is  the  boy's  book  of  its  year.  It  is  told  in  simple,  straightforward  English,  as  all 
stories  should  be,  and  it  has  a  freshness,  a  freedom,  a  sense  of  sun  and  wind  and  the  open 
air  which  make  it  irresistible."  —  National  Observer. 

Two  Thousand  Years  Ago  :    or,  The  Adventures  of  a 

Roman  Boy.     By  Professor  A.  J.  CHURCH.     With  12  full-page  Illus- 
trations by  ADRIEN  MARIE.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  The  book  is  extremely  entertaining  as  well  as  useful  ;  there  is  a  wonderful  fieshness 
in  the  Roman  scenes  and  characters." —  Times. 

Hussein  the   Hostage :    or,   A   Boy's   Adventures  in 

Persia.     By   G.   NORWAY.     With    8   full-page   Illustrations   by    JOHN 
SCHONBERG.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  Loss  of  John  Humble.     What  Led  to  It,  and  what 

Came  of  It.     By  G.  NORWAY.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  JOHN 
SCHONBERG.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Under  Hatches  :    or,  Ned  Woodthorpe's   Adventures. 

By   F.    FRANKFORT   MOORK.     With   8   full-page   Illustrations  by  A. 
FORKSTIER.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Highways  and  High  Seas.     Cyril  Harley's  Adventures 

on  Both.     By  F.  FRANKFORT  MOORE.     With  8   full-page  Illustrations 
by  ALFRED  PEARSE.     Crown  Svo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 


POPULAR  BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE.  13 

BOOKS   FOR  BOYS. 

$1.25  Series. 
Gold,  Gold,  in  Cariboo.      A   Story   of    Adventure   in 

British  Columbia.     By  CLIVE  PHILLIPPS-WoLLEY.     With  6  page  Illus- 
trations by  G.  C.  HINDLEV.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

"We  have  seldom  read  a  more  exciting  tale  of  wild  mining  adventure  in  a  singularly 
inaccessible  country.  There  is  a  capital  plot,  and  the  interest  is  sustained  to  the  last 
page." — The  Times. 

In  Press-Gang  Days.     By  EDGAR  PICKERING.     With  6 

Illustrations  by  W.  S.  STACEY.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

Young  Travellers'  Tales.     By  ASCOTT  R.  HOPE.    With 

6  Illustrations  by  H.  J.  DRAPER.     Crown  Svo,  $1.25. 

A  Prisoner  of  War.     A  Story  of  the  Time  of  Napoleon 

Bonaparte.     By  G.  NORWAY.     With  6  page  Illustrations  by  ROBERT 
BARNES,  A.R.W.S.     Crown  Svo,  $1.25. 

Traitor  or  Patriot  ?     A  Tale  of  the  Rye-House  Plot. 

By  MARY  C.  ROWSELL.     With  6  full-page  Pictures.     Crown  Svo,  $1.25. 

Silas  Verney.     Being  the  Story  of  his  Adventures  in 

the  days  of  King  Charles  the  Second.     A  Tale  for  Boys.     By  EDGAR 
PICKERING.     Illustrated  by  ALFRED  PEARSE.    Crown  Svo,  $1.25. 

The  Captured  Cruiser :  or,  Two  Years  from  Land.     By 

C.  J.  HYXE.     With  6  page  Illustrations  by  F.  BRANGWYN.     Crown  Svo, 
|l.25. 

Sir  Walter's  Ward.     A  Tale    of  the    Crusades.     By 

WILLIAM  EVERARD.    With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  WALTER  PAGET. 
Crown  Svo,  $1.25. 

An  Old  Time  Yarn.     Adventures  in  the  West  Indies 

and  Mexico  with  Hawkins  and  Drake.     By  EDGAR  PICKERING.     With 
6  full-page  Illustrations  by  ALFRED  PEARSE.     Crown  Svo,  $1.25. 

The  Search  for  the  Talisman.     A  Story  of  Labrador. 

By  HENRY  FRITH.     With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  J.  SCHONBERG. 
Crown  Svo,  $1.25. 

Stories  of  Old  Renown.     Tales  of  Knights  and  Heroes. 

By  ASCOTT  R.  HOPE.     With  100  Illustrations  from  designs  by  GORDON 
BROWNE.     Crown  Svo,  $1.25. 

Reefer  and  Rifleman.     A  Tale  of  the  Two  Services. 

By  J.  PERCY-GROVES,  late  2yth  Inniskillings.     With  6  full-page  Illus- 
trations by  JOHN  SCHONBERG.    Crown  Svo,  $1.25. 

Thorndyke   Manor.     A  Tale  of  Jacobite  Times.     By 

MARY  C.   ROWSELL.     With   6   full-page   Illustrations    by  L.   LESLIE 
BROOKE.     Crown  Svo,  $1.25. 


14 


POPULAR  BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE. 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS. 

$1.00  Series.    Crown  8vo. 


The  Wigwam  and  the  War- 
Path.  Stories  of  the  Red 
Indians.  By  ASCOTT  R.  HOPE. 
Illustrated. 

Jack  o'  Lanthorn.  A  Tale  of 
Adventure.  By  HENRY  FRITH. 
Illustrated. 

Brothers  in  Arms.  A  Story  of 
the  Crusades.  By  F.  BAYFORD 
HARRISON.  Illustrated. 

Hal  Hungerford :  or,  the  Strange 
Adventures  of  a  Boy  Emigrant. 
By  J.  R.  HUTCHINSON.  "Illus- 
trated. 


The  War  of  the  Axe :  or,  Adven- 
tures in  South  Africa.  By  J. 
PERCY-GROVES.  Illustrated. 

Stories  of  the  Sea  in  Former 
Days :  Narratives  of  Wreck 
and  Rescue. 

Tales  of  Captivity  and  Exile. 

Illustrated. 

Famous  Discoveries  by  Sea  and 
Land.  Illustrated. 

Stirring  Events  of  History.  Il- 
lustrated. 


BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS. 

$1.50  Series. 
Banshee   Castle.      By  ROSA  MULHOLLAND.     With  12 

page  Illustrations  by  JOHN  H.  BACON.    Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

"  One  of  the  most  fascinating  of  Miss  Rosa  Mulholland's  many  fascinating  stories. 
.  .  .  The  charm  of  the  tale  lies  in  the  telling  of  it.  The  three  heroines  are  admirably 
drawn  characters."  —  Athenaum. 

The  Clever  Miss  Follett.     By  J.  K.  H.  DENNY.     With 

12  page  Illustrations  by  GERTRUDE  U.  HAMMOND.    Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

"  The  story  is  well  constructed,  and  the  character-drawing  of  the  Follett  family  is 
good.  Girls  will  like  the  story,  for  it  is  interesting." —  The  Queen. 

A  Fair  Claimant.    Being  a  Story  for  Girls.    By  FRANCES 

ARMSTRONG.    With  8  page  Illustrations  by  GERTRUDE  D.  HAMMOND. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  #1.50. 

"  As  a  gift-book  for  big  girls  A  Fair  Claimant  is  among  the  best.  The  story  is  in- 
teresting and  natural,  from  first  to  last." —  Westminster  Gazette. 

Giannetta.  A  Girl's  Story  of  Herself.  By  ROSA  MUL- 
HOLLAND. With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  LOCKHART  BOGLE.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  Heiress  of  Courtleroy.     By  ANNE  BEALE.     With 

8  page  Illustrations  by  T.  C.  H.  CASTLE.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges, 
#1.50. 


POPULAR  BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE.  15 

BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS. 

$  1.25  Series. 
A  True  Cornish  Maid.     By  J.  NORWAY.     With  6  page 

Illustrations  by  J.  FINNEMORE.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

Hugh  Herbert's  Inheritance.     By  CAROLINE  AUSTIN. 

With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  C.  T.  GARLAND.     Crown  8vo,  51.25. 

Three  Bright  Girls.  A  Story  of  Chance  and  Mis- 
chance. By  ANNIE  E.  ARMSTRONG.  With  6  page  Illustrations  by  W. 
PARKINSON.  Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

A  Very  Odd  Girl.     Life   at   the    Gabled   Farm.     By 

ANNIE  E.  ARMSTRONG.     With  6  page  Pictures  by  S.  T.  DADD.     Crown 
8vo,  $1.25. 

Under  False  Colours.     A  Story  from  Two  Girls'  Lives. 

By  SARAH  DOUDNEY.     With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  G.  G.  KIL- 
BURNE.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

Margery  Merton's   Girlhood.      By  ALICE    CORKRAN. 

With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

Down  the  Snow  Stairs :  or,  From  Good-night  to  Good- 
morning.  By  ALICE  CORKRAN.  With  60  character  Illustrations  by 
GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.25. 

Meg's  Friend.     By  ALICE  CORKRAN.     With  6  full-page 

Illustrations  by  ROBERT  FOWLER.    Crown  8vo,  $  1.25. 

Cousin  Geoffrey  and  I.     By  CAROLINE  AUSTIN.     With 

6  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  PARKINSON.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

Laugh  and  Learn.  The  Easiest  Book  of  Nursery  Les- 
sons and  Nursery  Games.  By  JENNETT  HUMPHREYS.  Charmingly 
Illustrated.  Square  8vo,  $1.25. 


BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS. 

$  i.oo  Series. 
Things  Will  Take  a  Turn.     A  Story  for  Children.     By 

Beatrice  Harraden.     With  46  Illustrations  by  J.  H.  BACON.     Crown 
8vo,  $1.00. 

The  Whispering  Winds  and  the  Tales  They  Told.     By 

MARY  H.  DEBENHAM.     With  25  Illustrations  by  PAUL  HARDY.    $1.00. 

Girl  Neighbours :  or,  The  Old  Fashion  and  the  New. 

By  SARAH  TYLER.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  C.  T.  GARLAND. 
Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 


If, 


POPULAR   BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS. 


$  I  .OO  Series.  —  Continued. 

The  Golden  Weathercock.  By 
JULIA  GODDARD.  Illustrated. 
Crcwn  8vo,  f  i.oo. 

The  Secret  of  the  Old  House. 
A  Story  for  Children.  By 
EVELYN  EVERETT  GREEN. 
Illustrated.  Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

White  Lilac.  A  Story  of  Two 
Girls.  By  AMY  WALTON. 
4  full-page  Illustrations. 
Crown  8vo,  fi.oo. 

Miss  Willowburn's  Offer.  By 
SARAH  DOUDNEY.  4  full- 
page  Illustrations.  Crown  8vo, 
$1.00. 

Hetty  Gray:  or,  Nobody's 
Bairn.  By  ROSA  MULHOL- 
LAND.  4  full-page  Illustrations. 
Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 


75  Cents  Series. 

Unlucky.  A  Fragment  of  a  Girl's 
Life.  By  CAROLINE  AUSTIN. 
Illustrated.  i2mo,  75  cts. 

Adventures  of  Mrs.  Wishing- 
to-be.  By  ALICE  CORKRAN. 
3  full-page  Pictures  in  Colors. 
121110,  75  cts. 

Joan's  Adventures  at  the  North 
Pole  and  Elsewhere.  By 
ALICE  CORKRAN.  Illustrated. 
1 21110,  75  cts. 

Four  Little  Mischiefs.  By  ROSA 
MULHOLLAND.  3  full-page 
Pictures  in  Colors  by  GORDON 
BROWNE.  i2mo,  75  cts. 

The  Late  Miss  Hollingford.  By 
ROSA  MULHOLLAND.  Illus- 
trated. i2mo,  75  cts. 

Naughty  Miss  Bunny :  Her 
Tricks  and  Troubles.  By 
CLARA  MULHOLLAND.  3  Illus- 
trations. i2mo,  75  cts. 


From  the  Clyde  to  the  Jordan. 
A  Narrative  of  a  Bicycle  Jour- 
ney. By  HUGH  CALLAN.  Il- 
lustrated. I2mo,  $1.50. 


BOOKS  OF  TRAVEL. 

After  Five  Years  in  India:  or 

Life  and  Work  in  a  Punjaub 
District.  By  ANNE  C.  WIL- 
SON. Illustrated.  I2mo,  $2.00. 


SCRIBNER'S  ILLUSTRATED  LIST  OF  BOOKS  FOR 
THE  YOUNG. 

Containing  full  descriptions  of  their  most  popular  juveniles,  including  books 


Frances  Hodgson  Burnett, 
H.  H.  Boyeson, 
Frank  R.  Stockton, 
Mrs.  Burton  Harrison, 
Robert  Louis  Stevenson, 


Howard  Pyle, 
Thomas  Nelson  Page, 
Edward  Eggleston, 
Jules  Verne, 
Mary  Mapes  Dodge. 


And  other  popular  writers.   It  will  be  mailed  to  any  address  on  application. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

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